Project 2 FYW by Sebastian Harricharan

Qdoba Fresh Meadows

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-13 15:54:43 UTC

Utopia Neighborhood Homes

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-14 17:58:51 UTC

Locals walking their dogs around the neighborhood

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-14 18:07:19 UTC

Link to my walk footage (Google Drive)

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-17 04:39:32 UTC

Fresh Meadows Neighborhoods

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-17 05:08:17 UTC

Post-Walk Uptake

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-17 05:37:25 UTC

After completing the walk, it did raise more curiosity from me on the method of walking research and its true effectiveness when it comes to exploring new places and understanding it's aspects. I would like to explore more ways or strategies that I can use while conducting walking research in different places/environments. This experience may have influenced my approach to other spaces I may visit in the near future by paying more attention to detail on certain things in an environment and if they have any significance and importance to the uniqueness and function of the specific environment. The act of walking and observing definitely allowed me to notice things I normally wouldn't pay no mind to otherwise. These things include the designs of the structures in the environment, the type of people that are associated with the area, and natural observations including the trees and how they could add to the scenery in the right season. This research method enhanced my awareness by making me pay attention to my surroundings and things that may be points of interest to look more into and jot down notes either physically, verbally, or mentally. I incorporated a video recording of my walk with a vlog-like style because it made it a lot easier to verbally jot down my notes while actively walking around in the environment. Also pictures that are related to those said notes are included in this Padlet as well. I think doing the vlog-like style video recording was the best fit for me because then I wouldn't have to continuously stop and jot down notes somewhere. I can continue doing my walk while consecutively speaking what's on my mind to the audience, it also adds that sense of tone and more life to the project in my opinion instead of a bunch of notes that are commonly used in other classes. During the walk, I used some of the questions and ideas presented by the American India Foundation article provided and the Springgay and Truman chapter with simple references to those sources and used them as talking points and things to focus on while I was on my walk and exploring the community.

Link to my Juice WRLD Playlist

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-17 05:40:03 UTC

In the walk recording, I discussed the environment I was walking in as a space that seemed comforting and peaceful that could be used to clear one's mind just in case they may be going through something and need to clear their head and go for a walk and get some fresh air. Juice WLRD's music has helped me done just that in some similar situations. It is the perfect kind of music I would listen to if I were to walk around that neighborhood again as a form of self therapy.

Walking Research Influence

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-17 13:46:21 UTC

I’ve never done this kind of walk / research before and by the end of the walk it felt pretty interesting how much you can learn just by observing an environment and thinking about different factors that the place either provides or ones that can affect the environment itself. This is something I can enjoy doing, especially when traveling to other cities or countries where the way of life may be different to what I’m used to.

How do your personal experience and background influence your entry to and interpretation of this space?

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-17 15:41:09 UTC

As someone who was born and raised in Queens for majority of my life, (I now live in Long Island) it was pretty interesting to explore a neighborhood that I’ve never really been through before and see how the environment is compared to others that I’ve been to or are familiar with, like my own hometowns. I was able to analyze the space in a way that I wouldn’t normally be focusing on while walking through new areas.

How does the maintenance of the space reflect the values of the people or the groups that have entry to it?

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-17 15:49:20 UTC

A lot of NYC neighborhoods usually have a bunch of trash around the floor throughout the environment and the area itself is just not well maintained. But this was one of the neighborhoods where you don’t notice any poor maintenance of the environment. I think this shows how much the people who may live there care about their space, especially since they are there everyday. Even the front lawns are well maintained and some use them as their own personal gardens.

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-17 15:56:41 UTC

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-17 15:56:53 UTC

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-17 15:57:05 UTC

sebastianharricharan24 — 2025-03-17 15:58:45 UTC