Methods?

               The best way to learn about a community is to become a part of it. I feel like I am already a part of the community at Belmont University, perhaps not as much as I used to be, but nonetheless I’m familiar with the culture. Lipscomb, on the other hand, I am not a part of that particular community. A technique that I have been using within my study is people watching in general. I have been taking notes on my surroundings and what I see and sense in the more communal of areas on the campus. I have so far issued a very helpful interview with two people at Lipscomb and I have gained information through that. I have also gathered physical maps of both campuses because one thing I noticed while studying Lipscomb’s community, is how much bigger the actual school felt. I personally felt this as an outsider. The girls I interviewed, however, stated differently. One of the reasons they loved Lipscomb is because they felt they could get anywhere on campus within 7 to 8  minutes. Another aspect I plan on incorporating into my project is the history of both universities and information on tuition and goals, for that may offer more explanation for the communities of each. This will be accomplished through research of each universities websites. I have taken photos of Lipscomb’s campus and plan on doing the same of Belmont’s campus.  By watching people I can get an outsiders view of the community and common habits. For instance, at Lipscomb I noticed that there was a much larger variety of people and that a lot more students seem to dress in windbreakers and sportswear than at Belmont where tighter pants and dressier outfits seem to be more popular. One thing that this concept misses is that it is just a view from the outside. A person can’t really learn about a community just by watching. I’m also planning on interviewing more students and getting an inside view of why people chose either Lipscomb or Belmont. By gathering materials such as maps and the history of each institution I gather information about the universities themselves, but not so much the people who are involved in the community. I hope by gathering this information I can get a better inside view of  the community of each university by learning more about individuals within the community and why they chose the university.