Most classes and workshops at the Medill cherub program took place in Fisk Hall’s room 217. Of the 201 spots to choose from, students quickly found which seat optimized their comfort and best suited their learning style.
Jonah Baron of Larchmont, New York, said he preferred sitting in the back because it allowed him to focus without the pressure of a front row seat. Others preferred the opposite.
Violet Negrette, from San Carlos, California, said she usually sat in the front to prevent herself from getting distracted.
“I like Fisk 217 a lot, actually,” Negrette said. “It’s a very different classroom style from what I’m used to. I go to a school with 10-12 people for class, and this is 84 people in a huge hall, so it’s almost like an amphitheater.”
The wings of 217 better suited some cherubs. Emerson Swift of Marin County, California, chose an aisle seat on the left with a few rows of people between her and the stage. She said seeing her peers working in front of her motivated her to focus.
Cherubs interested in photojournalism said they also picked aisle seats to easily capture presentations and guest speakers.
“You need to be in the aisle because there’s a lot less people in your way,” said William Barrett of Bethesda, Maryland. “I sit towards the left side because that’s where the podium is.”
Cherubs aren’t the only ones who chose their seats carefully. Instructors and community and academic associates took the rows in the back so they could enjoy the lectures without disrupting them, said CAA Juliet Allan.
“These lectures are really about the cherubs,” Allan said. “We’re familiar with the content, but we still want to see it. There’s no dull lectures.”
No matter what seat cherubs picked, there were always outlets available to charge devices.
“Always bring your charger,” Barrett said. “And fill your water bottle. The best water fountain is in the basement. Go down the stairs, turn right, turn right again, and you have a very fast water filler.”
There were classrooms for smaller lectures above room 217. Baron said he enjoyed learning there, especially in room 311.
“The classrooms are a good representation of what it would be like to go to college,” Baron said. “Fisk 311 is big, but not massive. You don’t feel overwhelmed.”
