ENG 1510: Project 3- Intro/Synthesis

Alex Gilkerson

ENG 1510

11/1/12

Synthesis 

I had many different ideas of how to start this project and which topic to choose.  I feel this is more unique rather than a sports team.  In my opinion it is more interesting as well.  This is unlike any other project we have done because of the topics.  On the other projects and papers, we usually had a one way path as to what we have to write about. We had our own choice to write about what we wanted, but it was all for the same purpose. This is different because we have our own choices and can take different paths than the other classmates.  People are involved in many things so it will be interesting to see all the different topics and how other groups and communities communicate with each other and how it is different from our own discourse community.

Intro

It was difficult to choose a discourse community for me because I have been apart of so many different groups or clubs in my life.  I have been on sport teams, and even a group for community service.  The discourse community that I have chosen for this assignment is the Ohio Snowcats organization. The Snowcats is a student run program for kids who enjoy snowboarding and skiing or if they just like to meet new people.  There are around 150 people in this club.

Every year, the Snowcats go on at least two trips as a group.  This year we went to West Virginia for a weekend to white water raft in the Lower Gauly River.  There were around 60 people to attend this trip. This trip was planned in a short amount of time due to the change to semesters.  Every year before, they would do this in the spring.  

The next trip we go on is coming up in the beginning of January right before we go back to school.  From January 5-12, we will be going to Copper Mountain in Colorado for the snowboarding/skiing trip.  So far on this trip there 112 people who have payed already and they are expecting more.

I chose this as my discourse community because they do many different things that other groups do not or have not.  It is a different setting for me because I grow up around farms my whole life and the way everyone acts, talks, and dresses, is completely different.  They all wear “skater” brand clothing and say words like “shred”, “powpow” and “gnarly”.  I have heard many of the terms before but have never heard someone actually say them.  Everyone in the group is very friendly and are very welcoming and outgoing.  I was fortunate enough to know a few people who are older, who are also in the group so it made it easier for me.  I noticed at a few meetings how they interact with each other and to new members.  They all seem to act the same towards everyone which I like.  

I will be able to obtain lots of information because of the weekly meetings and also the social activities on the weekends.  It also helps that I know the students who run the program so I will be able to get inside information on all the positions and how everything is run.