Wrap Up

If I Can Make It Here, I'll Make It Anywhere!: courtesy of Jess Combs

Though I will clearly not fully appreciate the effect this class has had on me for another decade or so, I can, with confidence, say that Sense of Place has been one of the most inspiring and educational experiences I've had at NYU. As someone who knew little about Place Studies save what I had read on this website, the course opened my eyes to countless facets of the discipline, many which I had never considered before. I was able to approach topics such as architecture and urban planning in a critical and analytical way, though I knew very little about either of them. I feel that walking around New York or any other city, I know have another level of awareness that kicks in, thanks to the course.
In fact, the more aware I become of my surroundings in New York, the more I look forward to leaving. I love New York, but we spend day after day saturating this place with memories (especially at our age) and eventually the city needs a break or risk overflowing, swallowing us all. Picking up and leaving a place that has become your home is by no means an easy feat, and I've done it enough times to know that it doesn't ever become easy, but at some point the challenge of creating a new sense of place somewhere began to be exciting in addition to being daunting. And anyone can come back to New York at any time - it's not going anywhere. It's a static place despite the constant construction and destruction and the wave of bright eyed people who arrive every year and the trickle of those who leave. Not many places in the world are as static as New York, in that, the essence of the city doesn't change. It still feels the same, essentially, to my father who lived in New York almost 30 years ago. I wonder if it will feel the same to me if I come back in 30 years and revisit my old haunts? I doubt any of the places I visited in Africa will feel the same in 30 years!
A Sense of Place has encouraged me to leave my comfort zone, physically, educationally, perhaps even emotionally. A sense of place can be created anywhere by anyone (if they try hard enough). And as Sinatra said of New York, "If I can make it here, I'll make it anywhere".
My favorite books were Kunstler and Frazier. Each dealing with very different subject matter, but perhaps a slightly similar tone at times. Kunstler was a great introduction for me to the course and the field and Frazier was a great way to wrap up the semester, allowing me to see the creative outcome of the study of a place.
Though there were other books I enjoyed less, I felt they were necessary to the development of the course and for leading students from Kunstler to Whitehead. There was certainly a sense of progression. The videos we watched in class were a great resource and added to our experience of the books effectively. I particularly enjoyed the documentary dealing with public space (such as plazas in NYC).
I now have a strong base from which to pursue Place Studies and other related disciplines. The class also challenged me to be creative, think critically and participate constructively in class discussions. It was well structured, had a great curriculum and was a lot of fun. I definitely laughed more in A Sense of Place than in any of my other classes this semester, and everyone knows laughing increases your life, so thanks Steve and peers, for adding a few years to my life.