Where to start? Looking back on this semester in our Geography of the James class, I can honestly say that I have never taken a course quite like this here at the University of Richmond, or even throughout middle and high school. It is refreshing to be enrolled in a course that takes this sort of “hands on” approach to learning. My expectations for this class coming in to the semester were plagued with thoughts of 3 hour lectures about the history of the James river and about the watershed in general, but I was happily surprised to find out that we would be taking class trips to places such as Belle Isle and Henricus Park to see and learn about the James and its history first-hand.
I felt emerged in this hands-on style of learning right from our first class during the first week of the semester. What is usually described as “syllabus week” for most classes, where the protocol is usually a meet and greet scenario where little learning is actually done, our class instead took some time to walk around the outskirts of our campus to learn about and see the two main inflows of water that feed into Westhampton lake. The general consensus from everyone in our class was that no one had actually been to these parts on campus nor had anyone truly given much thought as to where the water that flows into our lake comes from. Even though the majority of our class has been on this campus for at least three semesters, it is baffling to think that no one had ventured out to these parts of campus before. After his encounter, I realized that I tend to overlook what is right in front of me, and don’t stop to think about questions such as, “how did this get here” or “where is this coming from,” as often as I should.
One of the first assignments we had in this class was to search for a reflection spot that would serve as a familiar place to sit and observe on campus throughout the semester. What I thought would be an easy task, due to the always-beautiful scenery throughout our entire campus, proved to be a rather difficult quest where I yearned for the most perfect reflection point that I could possibly find. This was a valuable lesson for me because it reminded me to not lose focus on the little wonders of life that lie right before me. I was too preoccupied with focusing on the manmade distractions that I didn’t view as part of the nature around me than appreciating what is right in front of me. I believe that this aspect of not being completely in the moment and appreciating all that is around me has been a common theme in my writing so far throughout the semester. I have been too bogged down by this idea that nature is this untouched and unhindered region of space, and have struggled to realize that nature is relative. I dove deeper into this idea after reading the article by William Cronon as he discuss a similar idea on the views of nature in our society.
A major concept that we have covered in class and have all reflected on is the importance of water, starting in our local communities and spreading to a global perspective as well. Growing up, I had been somewhat aware of the significance of water and how essential and vital it is to human life and survival, but I had not reflected on how water has influenced my life, and had not fully understood the interconnectedness that water brings to societies throughout the world. The first revelation I had about water this semester was when we were discussing watersheds. Before the Geography of the James class, I honestly did not know what exactly a watershed was. The idea that you can separate borders and boundaries by watersheds and that watersheds can be broken down from giant seas and lakes to even a bathtub astonished me. I found it incredibly interesting reading all of my classmates’ blog posts about their hometown rivers and the impact that the rivers had on each and everyone’s lives. I have been able to recognize more and more the importance and functions that watersheds such as rivers have and continue to provide us no matter where we are.
The concept of watersheds also ties in with an important discussion that we had early in the semester about place and region. I have thought a lot about how a specific area gains an identity after this discussion and other discussions we had in class. I have seen, especially in the examples and excerpts from the book we are reading, In River Time, that watersheds such as the James River help define a specific place or region. For example, Native Americans who lived by the James saw their lives and daily routines become intertwined with the James, and ultimately, became aware that their survival depended on the James. Watersheds such as this have become more and more a defining symbol and aspect of many major cities around the globe, and as my classmates and I have discovered, these same watersheds can help express a feeling of “home.”
I have had to do frequent blog postings for other classes over my time here at UR, but none similar to this. I consider these posts to be more of personal journal entries. I used to keep a private journal when I was in high school, writing down favorite quotes I had come across in books, movies, or lectures, and tried to make sense of those quotes on paper. This blog post experience for this course has opened my eyes to a new form of journaling. I am especially excited and intrigued about the reflection spot posts, because they allow me to see and reflect upon the changes that take place over time of a specific area on campus. I am almost certain that without this “assignment” for this course, I would probably never take the time to sit down in the same location on multiple occasions and just write what I see, hear, and feel. I believe this is an important process and experience, and hopefully one that I will continue to implement in my life as I move forward.