This week in class consisted of the accessibility lecture and the scavenger hunt, as always a very interesting class! After hearing the information on accessibility and universal design, I am noticing all of the door handles, entrances, curb ramps, and other details for the handicapped or disabled around campus. For instance, on the second floor of Hayes Hall, there are lockers stacked on top of each other. The bottom left one has a handicapped sticker slapped on it (probably because it is low and has room to the left of it where the wall ends), and also who knew the first seats on the bus (the sideways ones) are reserved for the handicapped!? It's not often we come across someone who is disabled and when I do it reminds me of how much they suffer. My uncle lived without one of his legs his entire life, and died of cancer at only 33. I often think of what he had to endure in his life in order to live normally. He could never run or keep up with us young nieces and nephews. Even though he had to walk the long way into entrances with his crutches and I'm sure had trouble navigating his wheelchair, never did he complain. He was so happy and friendly every time I saw Uncle Tony! I hope that I can someday design for people like my Uncle Tony.
Also this week we had the scavenger hunt. At first I was really nervous about leaving the classroom from a total stranger going about campus to who knows where! But it was really a lot of fun and I made a new friend! It opened my eyes to all of the designs on campus that I would normally have walked by without noticing. Now I can tell my family and friends that I tour around campus that the Mathematics Tower was designed by Philip Johnson(:
