#groupprompt

Using whatever we had that screamed “Beach Day”, we reconvened in Kira’s room to take a vacation at home. We brought beach towels (in Kira’s case, a yoga mat), wore summer clothes, turned on a generic ocean soundtrack from Youtube and Kira rearranged some of her plants to create some semblance of a beach scene. It was kind of funny and sad to have to live this new reality of a ‘home-beach’ because of the virus, but we were able to enjoy ourselves with what we had.  I think a lot of people have had to compromise with the current situation and come up with different forms of ‘staycations’ but in all honesty, nothing beats reality for me. I have not gone to the beach in a long time, and it was really sad for me to not be able to go to one even after graduation. However ultimately, I think that the time I was able to spend with my fellow group members to revive an experience in a way that seems so ridiculous was an effective substitute. In my perspective,  the ways we have been able to scrounge up any sort of fun during a seemingly endless situation during the pandemic shows our ability to compromise and persevere. 

group prompt- Illuminate brand loyalty at the grocery store; document process We took a walk to Whole Foods as a group, since that was the nearest grocery store to North. We were contemplating how we were going to illuminate brand loyalty, and decided to get a bunch of 365 organic boxes of cereal. Since I usually sit in the shopping cart whenever we go out, it just made sense to use me as a subject. Because of the ways the waiting lines have been organized in Whole Foods, the lines go into the aisles meaning there were many people watching us fill the cart with cereal boxes. It was kind of funny in the moment, since the energy we were exuding was so chaotic and we were causing a scene. I guess in a way over indulgence as a result of brand loyalty is what makes profits for corporate companies, but this does contribute to a wasteful and unsustainable lifestyle. In addition, unmoving brand loyalty is not a good thing either-- being unable to see the flaws in a product just because of loyalty to the brand name can be a harmful way to live life. It made me think about how many people were looking for alternatives to Goya beans once it turned out that they endorsed the Trump administration-- even in the grocery store, there are a lot attached to a brand name that should be considered.

group prompt- Take a walk; make a mark; document process Using chalk, we decided to literally leave a mark from our walk. We outlined three sets of our footsteps as we were walking down the sidewalk. We each had our own color-- (the photo makes it a little hard to read for some) Kira had purple, Matt had blue, Christine had yellow and I had pink. We chose to draw out our footsteps as though we were walking and our steps would overlap each other.  It was very interesting to notice each other’s differences in walking patterns, how some of us naturally veer off to the side or how some of us take large strides In my perspective, leaving behind a mark or footsteps is something that people enjoy viewing. Whether it is leaving behind footprints in the wet sand on the beach or the first steps on the moon-- there is something very intriguing about leaving behind a mark that shows that this is where you stood, this is where you left. I think that people always sought out ways to leave a lasting impression whether it is through vandalism or revelations-- and even though the chalk has definitely washed away now, the temporary effect that it had of “oh, four people were here” was a mark that we left for others to see. 

group prompt-  Go off trail; document process (Filmed by Jasmine Oliveros) In a similar wave of thinking to our response to the  “Choose a way” prompt, we decided to respond to this by literally going off trail, or off the sidewalk, and directly onto the road. There is a closed off portion on Benefit St that is blockaded where we filmed this. We wanted to all do things that we normally would not be able to do on the road-- such as lying down in the middle of it, skateboarding or bumping balloons. We chose to contextualize the sidewalk as a trail because in a way, it is the modern trail that people take everyday to get to where they need to be. While sidewalks are made for the practical use so that people can avoid vehicles, it was still very liberating to step right into the middle of one and even lie down. With prospects of further advancements in cars, I question whether we will even need roads in the future. I also thought about how much of our world right now is covered in asphalt and whether this could or should be reduced. And if the day ever comes where roads become obsolete, I like to imagine what they would grow to look like-- cracking because of lack of maintenance, nature reclaiming itself or even a social spot for people who like us wanted to go off trail and use it recreationally? Regardless, for now we enjoy the little pockets of freedom produced by the blockades on the street. 

group prompt- Design a tent with a purpose; use it; document process As a group, we decided to take this as an opportunity to create a blanket tent. We collaboratively brought our bedsheets and blankets to our dorm’s common room. Using the stools there as foundation posts as well as hair ties to connect all of our sheets, we ended up creating a small fortress-tent that we dubbed “Blanket City”. As though we were directly entering our childhood nostalgia and imagination, we pretended to have a rulers and poked our heads out of the cracks of the tent. The purpose of this tent was to invoke childhood memories. I do not remember the last time I had this sort of innocent fun with friends. I don’t think I have ever actually made a blanket tent prior to this moment either. With most of our group prompts, the overarching theme and goal was building community (in this case, literally as we were building Blanket City) and bonding. Through the tent building process, we had conversations of tidbits about fun things we did during our childhood, even had a small debate over pillow forts vs blanket forts. It was a grounding thought to me, that all the members of our group have very different backgrounds, yet we are still able to bond over the overlapping similarities in our childhood.

group prompt- Choose a way; document process Credits to Kira Held for the idea of creating a die with arrows. We used this makeshift die to choose a way for us to take. Wherever the arrow that the die pointed to, that was the direction that we took. Even if it meant walking into a bush or jaywalking directly in the middle of the street, we allowed the die to decide what direction we should go throughout campus. The way we went about it was creative in my opinion, but it also prompted me to think deeper about what we were actually doing. It seemed like we were collectively and blindly following the silent orders of this object, but I think it could be interpreted that we were allowing the die to decide for us the directions we took. In other words, we gave permission to chance. Maybe I am reaching, but I think this mindset is something that most people fail to reach-- the idea that there are times where things are not directly in your control and that that is normal and should be accepted. For example, a student can pay attention, study and review information as much as they need but the day of the test could open an arena of possible obstacles beyond those that they would prepare for such as a sudden emergency or accumulated stress finally taking a toll. I think that the unpredictable in life should not be something that is pondered over with fear-- rather just as we follow the arrows on the die, it is inevitable and should be accepted as a part of life.

group prompt- Develop a ceremony or ritual; document process (Photo taken by Jasmine Oliveros) We gathered together in the evening and decided to wear all black and go to a cemetery to perform our ritual. In honesty, we did not create an official ritual with formal and meaningful steps, we simply gathered together and stood around the nearest grave we could find on Benefit St. I’ve been to many funerals, but the one that stays in my mind is the memorial that I went to for my grandfather in China, where we sailed on a boat to his grave to set fireworks. I didn’t understand what exactly was happening during that ceremony, but I understood it as a means of remembrance. I think that what we did together was a cathartic experience where we all bonded over something. It was an interesting walk and the conversations we had on the way there are definitely those that I will never have in any other context. In a way, it could be read as disrespectful, but in my perspective we emulated the base of typical funeral rites. Sure, we did not know the deceased, but we gathered for him. I think that cultures add meaning and elements to parts of processions and rituals, however fundamentally, I think they are all rooted in communal remembrance and mutual bonding over an event. 

group prompt- Turn something punk; document process I was relying upon my fellow group members to understand exactly what ‘punk’ is. I knew that it was a music genre of rock and the general aesthetic of spiked leather and studded jewelry, but I never knew the influence it had. I grew up in a Christian household where this type of gender fluid and rebellious visual was condemned, so I never had a full exposure and understanding of punk. But through dressing Matt, I was able to experience the entire essence of ‘breaking the rules’ and truly not giving a shit about societal norms. I am sure there are past controversies or arguments that negate or go against punk, however seeing that it is harmless, I think that punk is a wonderful genre of music and a form of expression. I think the freeing nature of being able to dress and express yourself freely is important and a privilege to have. I am sure that there are many people in restrictive households, or even countries that do not have the same freedom that we did for this project to just dress and apply makeup for fun. To indulge harmlessly in life is a blessing and I enjoyed doing this transformation.