The 623

The first site I started to observe was the 9^th floor computer lab of the 623 S. Wabash building. You can most likely find me in there all the time working on projects and I believe that this single floor just about sums up Columbia for me. It’s always filled, especially during finals (it’s packed), with art and design students working on class projects and personal works. This is the essence of the school, it’s simply students working on what they love to do, art. There is a lot on this floor, classrooms, the advisor office, and the lockers. Most importantly the floor is filled computers running both mac and pc containing an assortment of programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, whatever the student needs to create their art piece. Once they are done, the lab also has high quality printers to print their artwork and such. If students art by their computers, they are right in front of the printers. Aside from the “digital art,” the floor has space for a more traditional touch, with light tables and area for cutting their art boards. I personally use the art boards a lot for my traditional art, and then once finished, I move toward the computers and scan them in. Another area where I find Columbia to be Columbia is the outside of the 623 S. Wabash building. Basically it’s a gathering of students who share a common interest, smoking. I think of it like a small community or even a small “smoking outside in-between classes” culture that sometimes only meet during those breaks, which I find very interesting. This place is also a great place to show what Columbia is, not because of the smoking, but it’s the fact that people are just very great and outgoing here. It shows the personality of the students from what they talk about to what they wear. It kind of shows the style of the school in a way when looked at first glance or when walking by. The overall mood is pretty good, I walk past it all the time when I enter the building and I never see any conflict, just students having a good time talking and doing what they do. To be honest, I’m never out here, but after staying for about 30 minutes just observing the other students, I might just sit and hang out, despite the fact that I don’t smoke. But it’s getting colder out, so maybe next semester.