Semester D

Hello World, I’m Sam. I am a Junior in the Program in the Environment, specializing in Urban Planning. But, whatever, that doesn’t mean anything. I think it’s funny that we, as college students, use our majors as the first descriptive quality when defining ourselves. Instead, here’s what you need to know:

I grew up somewhere between Newaygo and Fremont, MI, playing in the swamp, feeding swans, and hunting tomato worms. Did you know they are green on the outside, but gooze red when you cut them in half?

I wore polka dots to school and got looks for it. Then I moved to Ann Arbor. I slowly learned about the east side of the state, the suburbs, and the city. I went from spending my nights lying on the docks to spending my nights dancing to live jazz, a glass of egg nog in my hand. Those nights led me to live in the student co-ops for the past two years, where I cried a lot from laughing so hard.

At home, I worked at a summer camp, but at school, I worked at WCBN, the student radio station. I had my own show for a year, playing for the townies and the cab drivers. I started with an appreciation for music culture, but the station became a platform for deep education. This area, especially Detroit, is rich with music culture.

I’m forming my own impression of the city, through culture, academics, and work. Streets that we learn about in class are becoming familiar because I drive past them on my way to a show or on my way to work at State Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s Service Center. I look forward to learning from my coworkers as well as from the people I serve. Ann Arbor can’t give me this type of education.