Journaling the Journey Workshop
March 2
Journaling the Journey | Led by Eric Howerton
4-week workshop, $150 to register
In an attempt to work less and live more, philosopher Henry David Thoreau spent two years isolated in a shack in the woods. With little camping experience, author Cheryl Strayed solo hiked the 1,100-mile Pacific Crest Trail in an effort to conquer inner demons. And documentarian Morgan Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald’s for 30 days to determine the effects of chronic fast-food consumption on the body. Q: What, if anything, do these three individuals have in common? A: They used a challenge to disrupt everyday patterns and routines, learning more about their character, their values, and the world around them in the process. This class embraces the notion that significant growth and reflection can be generated through experiments on the self that force the mind and/or body into new and unfamiliar territory. Students will be asked to design and commit to a (safe) 8-day experiment and document the experience with daily journal entries. The nature of your experiment is entirely up to you (e.g., living without a cell phone for 8 days; becoming a temporary vegetarian; taking a vow of silence; etc.). Regardless of the experiment you design, your journal entries will ultimately help you draft a 6-10 page essay chronicling the experience and what you learned along the way.
About the instructor: Eric Howerton is a professor of English at OSU with a background in creative writing, composition, and literature. He is also an avid amateur cook, skier, musician, and mushroom forager.
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