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the philosophy students

a quiet study space, perfect for uninterrupted thought

debating the theories of various philosophers

seeking a true understanding of what it means to be alive

a love for allegory and analogy

pondering hypothetical problems and scenarios

deciphering long, complicated books

understanding the importance of studying from a variety of schools of thought

reading the works of ancient philosophers

the desire to understand what it means to be a good person

a small cup of your favorite coffee blend

viewing philosophical thought as an essential part of how we interact with our world

confronting issues of ethics and morality

enjoying time alone with your thoughts

discussing the very concept of knowledge itself, debating how we know what we know

quick thoughts scribbled on a pad of paper for later elaboration

deep awe at the complexity of human life

wondering about the nature of existence

posing difficult questions to your classmates and discussing them at length

books with long annotations in the margins

wanting to analyze everything around you

working on an essay late into the night, trying to express your thoughts as perfectly as you can

the women’s studies students

pages of notes scrawled in cursive

listening to the stories of the women in your life

new perspectives that alter your worldview

a firm belief in equality

considering intersectionality with race, sexuality, and more

studying the work of early feminists

a commitment to activism and social justice 

protest signs pinned to your wall

curiosity about the relationships between gender and society

embracing your femininity, discovering what it means to you

knowing that there is no one way to be a woman

celebrating women’s contributions across history

a folder of your favorite essays in your desk drawer

books on history and psychology, literature and philosophy piled on your bookshelf

standing up for your beliefs

reading Simone de Beauvoir, Alice Walker, and Kimberlé Crenshaw

honoring the accomplishments of those who came before you

a desire to make the world a better place 

the psychology students

as requested by @hugefrogkai

textbooks stacked on your desk in neat piles, sticky notes marking the passages you have to memorize

warm tea with honey on cold mornings

studying the work of those who have gone before, wanting to make your own discoveries

basement laboratories, bright with the glow of fluorescent lights

antique sketches of the brain stuck to your walls

wanting to help people, chasing the greater good

strong opinions on your favorite and least favorite famous psychologists

learning the psychology of memory and using it to study more efficiently

soft hair clipped up out of your face

clean morning light through your window

studying in a cafe, enjoying the sounds of people living their lives all around you

a need to understand human behavior

tortoiseshell glasses and silver earrings

knowing meyers-briggs isn’t scientifically valid but making your friends take it anyway

neat handwriting, black pen on crisp white paper

keeping your favorite research papers on your desk, annotated with your thoughts in the margins

adhering to a firm code of ethics

long hallways and big lecture classes

the sociology students

reading on the train, surrounded by the buzz of conversation

long research papers covered in highlighter marks and annotations scribbled in the margins

debating the true functions of human society

examining the rules of social interaction through an objective lens

stacks of case studies waiting to be read

a clipboard tucked under your arm

studying everything from religion to politics to education

busy sidewalks, each passerby with their own distinct life story

long conversations with your classmates

designing research projects, meticulously isolating each variable

a commitment to understanding perspectives other than your own

mornings spent reading the news and sipping a cup of tea

applying what you’ve learned in class to your own social interactions

understanding the importance of community

making sense of huge datasets 

the eerie silence of an empty lecture hall

an admiration for elegantly designed experiments

watching trends come and go

analyzing social processes and institutions

puzzling over human behavior

students using microscopes at bethune-cookman college in daytona beach, florida, 1943.

📸: gordon parks

Nicholas Makalik, Barrow, Alaska, 1963

Coiled Baleen Basket by Abe Simmonds Barrow, Alaska, 1954

Snake charmer from Mombasa, Kenya