First Impressions- Maddy Oritt

I've lived in Salt Lake City my whole life, but there is always more to be learned about a place and its people. Usually when I look down on the city from a high vantage point, it is from a hike in the foothills behind the hospital complex or the upper Federal Heights neighborhoods. Being so close to the city, yet having such a unique perspective, was very interesting. It surprised me a little bit to see how flat the valley is, rising abruptly to the foothills and the mountains beyond. Salt Lake City itself is not hilly until one reaches Capitol Hill, the Avenues, and the Foothill area. One of the things I like best about living in Salt Lake City is its natural geography, especially the close proximity of the mountains. Our downtown area is very small in relation to other cities, and it is easily defined. The height of the buildings drastically decreases outside the easily marked rectangle of the central business district.

I'm very excited for this class because I think it will be a very different approach to getting to know a subject or topic, namely SLC. I hope make a more intimate connection with the city and discover in a different light, almost as if an outsider.