The places I intend to write my autoethnography project are the library, at home, and on the bus or train. These places are usually the only options I have when doing an assignment. My first choice is the library, either the Leonard Lief Library at Lehman College or the New York Public Library near my home. Libraries have always been a place that feel warm and welcoming to me. Whenever I feel overwhelmed by homework assignments and due dates, I come to the library to calm down and focus. Sometimes I do not do any work at all, but instead I sit in the Quiet Zone and meditate. It helps my mind shift its focus and I feel at ease. Once I am grounded I find a spot with an outlet to keep my devices charged and make a list of the tasks I need to finish in my planner. When I do my work it is best that I prioritize and complete the assignments by their difficulty level, unless I am pressed for time. I try my best to start my work ahead of time, but I am not perfect. Being in the library deters me from procrastinating. If I am not in the library I will most likely procrastinate and end up rushing to hand my homework in on Blackboard while praying that the link or server does not break. I do not prefer to hand in an assignment late because I should have better time management skills and may lose points on it from the professor. Also if I have procrastinated until the last minute I may end up staying up several hours into the night and ruin my sleep schedule. This could throw off my schedule and my mood for the entire week. Being in the library stops my life from falling apart! My second choice to write my autoethnography would be sitting at my desk at home. This is not the best place for me to study, but it is usually my last resort such as when school is closed or the weather outside is harsh. At home I usually have a million distractions such as family members, pets, and other chores I have been avoiding for six weeks, so I only try to stay home if I have no other option. Majority of the time to stay on task I use my noise-cancelling headphones so I do not mysteriously go from typing an essay to eating Chinese take out and ice cream cake curled up with my cats watching the Simpsons in my bed. I perceive my house and room as a place of leisure so my energy is usually low when I am there. I normally only rest and sleep at home and then do my coursework at school. I still produce good quality work when I work at home, but all of the distractions may make me take twice or nearly three times as long to get it done. It is best that if I must work from home that it is only review for my already completed assignments, outlines, and small study sessions. The last place I have to consider using to write my autoethnography project would be the bus or train. Occasionally I have to take public transportation into the city or school to avoid traffic. If there is a long delay in my travel, I will usually read a book or look at the instructions for homework. I honestly do not think that I could multitask and write the project on the train, but I would begin my brainstorming. My project may turn out sporadic and the paragraphs could end up scattered if I was writing on the bus or train. I would analyze my surroundings and the lives of the other travelers to see if anything particularly unusual or interesting occurs. We often notice habits and behaviors in others that we acquire or wish to. Public transportation would be the best place for me to ponder the multiple ideas I have for my autoethnography and to get lost in my thoughts. Being more mindful of the space I am in impacts my work greatly. To produce a thought-provoking and intriguing essay, I must be inspired, whether it be by the professor, the essay question, or an outside occurrence. I must take my time in the beginning of my project by asking all of my questions and letting all of the ideas flow so I can be sure that once I start my first draft I will have a concrete topic and keep the reader interested.
Thanks, Dionna. You focus on the process of completing assignments here with special attention to procrastination. I would have loved a bit more reflection on the way the library is set up to prevent distractions. I was also curious to see you focus on assignments and then quickly mention needing to feel inspired when writing. In fact, assignments aren’t necessarily related to writing, so I wanted to hear more about the way the library might “inspire” your writing.
DW