Blogging is one of those things that I’ve always thought I’d always want to do, but now that I’m here trying to write this, I’m struggling a lot more than I thought. Part of it is definitely the subject matter. I’m very much interested in sustainability, especially as it applies to urban planning, but it’s always been something more of a casual side interest of mine than the actual subject of my career and academic interests until recently. For that reason it’s hard for me to say what is/are the SINGLE thing(s) that I’m deeply interested in.
I’m interested in planning broadly, but also things like neighborhood design, walkability, public transport, urban greening, climate adaptations, and more. And the question I’m always left with whenever I even start to think about what I’m going to do for this dissertation is which interest do I pick? What REALLY interests me? And even assuming I could figure out one thing to look at for in the dissertation, do I know that the broader subject that it would fit into is something that I can do for a living, and would enjoy doing for a living?
These challenges are what really make thinking about this hard for me. Nonetheless, the first couple of weeks of classes at EFI have been eye-opening in exploring the opportunities that exist in this space. I never had a design background going into this, but the temptation to try to learn more is now there because of Regenerating Place. Envisioning Sustainable Lands and Cities opened my eyes to a lot of theories of sustainability and city planning I had no idea about. I think I might write my next blog post on these two classes, but for now, I’ll just leave it at thinking about those impacts.
11 November 2024 at 16:37
It’s great to see you reflecting on your interests. It’s normal to feel unsure about focusing on one topic, especially with so many areas like sustainability and urban planning to explore. I’m sure as you continue, you’ll find a direction that aligns with both your interests and future career goals.