One of my earliest memories is my family coming down to Boston College to watch a football game. I still have the small BC football that my dad and I played catch with that day. I remember drinking extra hot chocolate for relief on that chilly day in Autumn and cheering with the crowd when the Eagles scored. Little did I know at the time that I would grow up to be an avid fan of professional football and even play the sport myself throughout middle school and high school. Now, when considering a subculture to learn more about here on campus, the football team is the first thing that comes to mind.
Writing about the subculture of football players, particularly the varsity players, intrigues me. I want to learn more about their daily schedule, their workload between school and practice, and what they do in their free time. They seem to have a very time consuming schedule filled with vigorous exercise. There are a few football players in my Business Statistics class. I notice they often are not in class, so I have to make sure to talk to them whenever I get a chance. There are also a couple in my portico class that are always present, so I’m curious why some of them don’t show up to class while others do. Before I talk to them, I think it’s important to note my assumptions about their lives in order to see how accurate the assumptions are after conducting and taking notes on the interviews. I’m assuming that they get some sort of academic accommodations to allow them more time to complete assignments because of their intense training schedules. I also assume that in their free time, they like to hang out with each other and party on the weekends, like most other BC students. What I can learn from the Vanderbilt writing center’s tips on taking field notes is that it is important to be a skillful observer. This means considering the physical environment, people’s attitudes, behaviors, appearance, and of course what they are saying during the interview. Also, I need to show rather than tell. I need to be very descriptive and make use of specific examples and anecdotes to help the reader visualize what’s going on instead of just using bland, general statements that don’t evoke thought to the reader.
Growing as a Writer 