The other day I went and took some photos of my favorite places on campus. I think that the most recognizable building on campus is Old Main (the very first building where farmers and miners studied). It’s also one of the most boring buildings to look at.

So the following are some some scenes that I saw every day on campus this semester.

This liquid nitrogen tank was always suspiciously leaky sounding. One time I saw someone in a hazmat suit messing around with it. It still sounds leaky, even after I saw that person.

I pass through this wall after my English class. I bet you never would have thought that Arizona is so green.

I like Tucson. It has a small town attitude despite its size, and the people here are consistently among the most friendly I’ve ever met in Arizona. I’m pretty sure you have to be at least half hippie to live here year-round.

My friend said that I don’t actually like Tucson–that I actually like the UofA campus. He said that if I would leave the downtown area I wouldn’t like Tucson so much. I’m content with the downtown area though. It’s nice. It has what I need.

Most of the buildings in Tucson are old and a little dilapidated. They stand in stark contrast with the bright, new cookie cutter strip malls of Phoenix. Tucson stands like a defiant record of the past. A past where houses were original, where the tree in every single front yard has a history to tell.

Tucson is like a favorite pair of old shoes: the soles are a bit too thin, the laces are fraying, the style is out-dated.  But, even though you spend the money to buy new shoes, you go back to your old pair because they’re comfortable, familiar, and the dirt on the bottom holds memories of where you’ve been.

Today in Human Geography discussion, we were given a blank map of the U.S. (it had state boundary lines) and a marker to draw where we think the U.S. Southwest is. We all drew on the same paper, and the idea was to have 25 different outlines showing the perspectives of 25 different people. So after the paper made its way around the room, the T.A. took it back to look at.

“You guys, it looks like you all copied off the person next to you. Why does it look like that only one person drew an outline even though all 25 of you were supposed to draw something? Why did everyone draw along the state boundaries? Let’s start over.”

He passed around a new map and we all re-drew our outlines.

“This looks the same. This is not how the other class’s map looked when they were done with it. Okay you didn’t all draw on the exact same line this time, but you all drew around state boundary lines! That’s not the point! So you guys consider northern Nevada to be in the Southwest, even though it’s all pretty and green up there?”

Everyone was staring at the table, so I answered, “Well, if I were driving through there, I wouldn’t consider northern Nevada to be the Southwest, but if someone was talking about Nevada as a whole, then I would consider it the Southwest.”

“So why didn’t you draw a line around where you think the Southwest stops in Nevada?”

“Um… because it looks prettier to follow state boundaries.”

“Because it looks prettier. Does everyone here agree with this?”

Everyone stared at the table.

One guy looked up and proffered, “I’m anal retentive, that’s why I did it.”

Scottsdale, Arizona– A city known for its wealth, its snootiness, and its world-class Arabian horses. The men of Scottsdale are business owners and investors; the women are trophy wives whose duties are to look great, make the house look great, and to make friends who are also great (according to the Scottsdale definition of the word). The children of Scottsdale are raised with Beverly Hills style extravagance– the latest, the greatest, and the most expensive are things that just can’t be done without.

That being said, guess who’s in my Art and Politics in Latin America discussion group?

You’re right! The City of Scottsdale and Mattel Inc. proudly present Scottsdale Princess, UofA Edition! Now equipped with Tucson driving skills, a Gucci bag big enough to hold all those college textbooks, and bleach blonde hair because summer just recently ended.

“So like, did you do the reading?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh… Like, I totally don’t get this class.”

“The reading helps me a lot.”

“I just, don’t have time, you know. Like with everything going on.”

“Yeah. Sorority bid weeks are tough.”

TA announces that homework needs to be turned in.

Scottsdale Princess leaves.

Follow-up question, extra credit: Guess who’s going to be doing the whole entire group’s work when project time rolls around?