Turfs

In every direction you look, somebody or some group has claimed an area for themselves. Whether it has been legally claimed, permanently placed, or simply set up for a short period of time "turfs" are everywhere, but do you notice them. They are identified by countless types of symbolic signs, warnings and attitudes. As the meaning of turf first ran through my mind, I immediately realized the turf I enter several times a day.

The room is clearly marked with a sign stating it's purpose and the field of study it provides services to. The room number seems to be marked with the largest font on the sign, almost as to stand out in your mind so when you think of GIS at UMD you can recall, "Oh yeah, they staked their turf up on the 3rd floor of Cina Hall!".

Before you even enter the room you are subjected to techno$chaft. A card key is required to bypass the electronic lock. Their are many costly materials and services provided, so there is a need for security against those without a purpose for these services.

Most people might miss the sign stating the GIS Lab policies. Even I didn't notice it for a few days. Most signs you come across when entering most campus rooms usually state in large font "No Food or Drinks". The GISL label in the corner takes some attention away from the actual policies and seems to subdue you on a small scale. It seems like they are using gemeinschaft to give a polite warning to those unfamiliar with how the lab is used.

As part of a class, I have gained access to UMD's GIS Laboratory. It is simply a miniature library specifically allocated for students in GIS related classes. It provides the proper computer software and books that will help those in this field. The types of books available are a great indicator of what the space is being claimed for.


There are several symbols inside the room declaring who's turf you have entered. When you hang your jacket up in the room, a large poster jumps out at you from above the rack. There are even mouse pads used for marking the room.

The first presence of turf within turf is when you have to log into the computer. When someone logs in, they are claiming that computer for the period of time that they will be there. Both techno$chaft and gesellschaft are expressed through this. You must log in with a specific username and password to gain access, and every computer is reclaimed many times every day by a different student.


After you have logged in you notice that the computer backgrounds help connect the computers to the room in a visual way with GISL written across half of the screen. Even the internet homepage has been marked, another indication of techno$chaft. The best way that gemeinschaft is pronounced in the GIS Lab is by the regular geography professors that randomly patrol the room to check in and help students.

The GIS Lab is a great example of a space that has distinctly marked their turf. It has been effectively expressed through every aspect of gemeinschaft, gesellschaft and techno$chaft.

My Daily Beat

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Every weekday morning I drive from Springvale Rd (A) to the UMD campus (B). I walk up to the GIS lab (C) on the 3rd floor of Cina, and have all my classes (C) in Cina and Humanities. Then I walk down to bb court in SpHC (D) and to the fieldhouse (D). On certain days after practice I drive to Cub Foods (E) for any shopping, and then home (F).

The beat that is so easy to notice in my life is my daily beat. Anyone who might spend a day with me could easily notice the monotony in the path I travel every day. It has become so regular and predictable that any slight disruption along my beat sometimes affects my entire day simply because I am accustomed to my pattern. I have always wondered how people can deal with the same daily commutes, but now realize that they might not notice it until it has been pointed out to them.

Every weekday morning I wake up around the same time. I drive to campus from the west hillside and arrive well before classes start. I always go up into the GIS lab to take care of a few things prior to any classes and make sure I have everything in order. This may be projects I stated the night before or simply checking my emails. It's interesting how Techno$chaft can start off someone's day. If I have any extra time available, I skim through any books in the lab that look interesting or that might help me with my career path.

The reason I am in Duluth is for my degree. I have classes anywhere from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day, all within a few steps of each other. I see some of the same students in a few of the classes, so I see familiar faces. However, I don't yet know them. Sure I know some names and a couple things about them, but I don't yet have that connection. Gesellschaft is going to be seen in most college classes. Lecture classes of 100+ students dominate the first 2 years of college. However, a trace of Gemeinschaft does exist in those chance meetings when students share similar goals and create a friendship.

After classes, I walk down 3 flights of stairs and head towards the SpHC building. Many athletes will gather around the commons area in front of the Romano Gym to study, talk, and even sleep. This is the best place to catch up on how others are doing. I see a lot of Gemeinschaft here, where athletes get to know each other and talk about their day or how their last event went.


At 4 p.m. sharp comes practice time down in the fieldhouse. Even though we all compete in different events, we support every other athlete on the team. Gemeinschaft is easy to recognize among our team. Several teammates may be competing for the same spot on the team, but we never have negativity towards anyone. Supporting each other makes us better athletes, and a stronger team.


Stopping at the grocery store isn't a rigid part of my daily beat, but once or twice a week I need to pick up groceries so Cub Foods silently falls into my routine here and there. This particular grocery store is open 24 hours, so Gesselschaft is easily seen. People can shop at any hour of the day, so chances of running into anyone you know are low. Many stores have shifted towards Techno$chaft with the use of electronic payment and even self checkout counters. Most of the time I only purchase a few commodities, so I can be spotted a lot at these counters.


When I arrive home it's unusually hard not to bump into a roommate, since I have four. While I prepare my dinner we will chat in the kitchen about how our day went or recent events in the news. We try to set up a few game nights a week so we can relax and have fun together. This is something we have been doing for the last 2 years. Even though we have only recently lived together, we have strong bonds that we hope will last for years to come.