Making Public Space Personal

An Ethnographic Study on How People Create Personal Space at the Jolly Giants Common

Dining Hall

Over the course of 10 weeks I conducted an ethnographic study on the ways in which people

create personal space in a public setting. My field site was the Jolly Giants Common Dining Hall

at Humboldt State University. When an individual or group creates their own personal space

they are separating themselves from the rest of the surrounding area, they are distancing

themselves physically and mentally from one another. Through participant observation, artifact

analysis, interviews, and surveys I determined three of the major ways that people create

personal space in the dining hall. These include the use of personal items, utilization and

manipulation of the physical space in the dining hall, and through a person’s bodily language

and expressions.

Alex Wright

Anthropology 318

Spring 2014

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Introduction

There are settings in everyday life in which people create their own personal space in a

public area. In a ten week study I examined how people create their own personal space in a

public setting, using the Jolly Giants Common Dining Hall at Humboldt State University. When

an individual or group creates their own personal private space they are separating themselves

from the rest of the surrounding area, they are distancing themselves physically and mentally

from one another. I examined how students, staff of the Jolly Giants Common Dining Hall, and

faculty of Humboldt State University create their own personal space in such a public area.

Through participant observation, interviews, artifact analysis, and surveying I determined

there are three major ways in which people create space at the dining hall. A way in which

people create space for themselves at the dining area is through the use of personal items.

Personal items consist of electronics, school work, back packs and whatever else someone brings

with them to the dining hall. Another way in which people create space at the dining hall is

through the manipulation and utilization of the dining halls physical space. This includes seating

arrangement, how far a person distances themselves from each other, which way the individual

or group is facing, and if they are near the center of the J or by a window. The final major way in

which people create space is through body language and physical expression. This is the way in

which a person carries themselves throughout the dining hall, the facial expressions they make,

articles of clothing, and the way they are sitting in their chair and at the table.

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The Field Site

(Jolly Giants Common Dining Hall)

Humboldt State University is the Northern most California State University in California;

the campus is located in small town named Arcata. Humboldt State University has over 8,000

students who are currently attending. On the campus there are nine dining locations. Two of the

closest dining areas to the Freshman Residential Halls are the Jolly Giant Dining and Grill area.

Both the Jolly Giant Dining and Grill are located on the third floor of the Jolly Giant Commons.

The Jolly Giant Commons houses the Housing and Dining department at Humboldt State

University along with a small recreation center for Resident Hall tenants.

The majority of people that use the Jolly Giant Dining and Grill area are students;

however, there still is staff and faculty that also use this area. The Jolly Giant Dining Area

consists of cafeteria style food selection along with two cash registers. The Jolly Giant Grill area

is a separate entity occupying the same level adjacent to the cafeteria section, this selection of

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food consists of items that needs to grilled or fried. The Jolly Giants Common Dining Hall is

commonly referred to around campus as “The J.”

The J overlooks the Humboldt Bay and to the other side it has views of the Arcata

Community Forest. The J has both vegan and non-vegan dining. The J is open seven days a week

and serves breakfast, a continental breakfast, Lunch and Brunch, and dinner.

Cycles/Time

Days of the Week

Breakfast Continental Breakfast

Lunch/Brunch Dinner

Monday-Friday 7:15 AM-9:45 AM

9:45 AM-10:30 AM

10:30 AM-1:30 PM

4:30 PM-7:30 PM /7 on Fri

Saturday & Sunday

- 9:00 AM-10:30 AM

10:30 AM-1:30 PM

4:30 PM-7:30 PM

(Hours and Days the Jolly Giant Commons Dining Hall is open)

The J dining area is made up of cafeteria style serving area and a restaurant which is

called the J-Grill. The JGC floor plan is designed with large circular group tables, which seat six

to eight, in the middle with a perimeter of smaller rectangular tables, which seat six. The J is one

of the main dining areas for students that live in the dorms. The amount of people using the J

varies throughout the time of day but has the facilities to handle very large groups of people

coming in around the same time.

The J is usually the busiest during the dinner shift. There are rushes during the lunch

dining areas closer to 1:00 PM. The J is somewhat full earlier. Monday through Friday there is a

large amount of the student population at Humboldt State University using the JGC. I observed

during all of these periods when there are large amounts of students out to see how customers of

the J and the J grill (staff, faculty, and students) create personal space in such a public area.

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The J dining area is managed by Housing and Dining at Humboldt State University. The J

is the largest of the dining areas at Humboldt State University. The other dining areas at

Humboldt State University are the Giant's cupboard, the Depot, the Library Cafe, Windows Café,

College Creek marketplace, and Hilltop Marketplace. During my ethnographic research I

researched people who use the J dining area; the majority of the actors in the J will be students

however there still will be staff, faculty, and others using the area.

Methodology

Throughout my research I collected quantitative data, this was done through participant

observation, artifact analysis, formal an informal interviews, and surveying. Through participant

observation I was able to see common patterns of people creating space. After seeing common

patterns I used the rest of the data collection tools to confirm my assumptions into findings.

I did a total of 21 timed observations; my shortest observation in the field was only a

brief ten minutes with my longest observation being over thirty minutes. During my observations

I would sit somewhere in the J to where I could see what a few groups or individuals were doing

and I would just write down everything that they did for the time I was there. After completing

an observation I would then later on that day go and analyze the data I had collected. For each

observation there was at least a half hour of analyzing the data. For the most part I would spend

an hour or two analyzing each timed observation. The majority of time spent on my observations

was not in the field site but in front of the computer making sense of the data I had collected.

Throughout my observations I noticed:

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Incident Number of times the incident occurred during observations

Someone pulling out or using a cell phone

41

People rearranging seats

11

People had their back’s to the center of the J

12

Someone using a pair of headphones

10

Use of a Laptop 7

Students having school supplies out on the table

8

A back pack was brought to the table

21

(The table represents common occurrences noticed at the J)

Through analyzing this information I was able to develop my first two findings: people

create space through the utilization and manipulation of space. My third finding dealt with

people’s body language and expressions, I wanted to keep my field notes objective so I did not

include this initially, after two survey responses I began to look at people’s expressions and body

language, and this was included when I would analyze the data.

Artifact analysis was a huge component of data collection, since many of the people who

used the J would bring items with them; I would then analyze commonly brought items as

artifacts. This allowed me to understand what the artifact would do for the user and how it helped

them create space. I had a total of twelve artifacts that I categorized into two categories, personal

items and furniture.

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Artifact Category Cell phones Personal Item Headphones Personal Item Back Pack Personal Item Laptops Personal Item Notebooks Personal Item Tablets/Ipods Personal Item Books Personal Item School Supplies Personal Item Windows Furniture Chair Furniture Table Furniture Pillar Furniture

(Table of Artifacts collected at the J)

The first category of artifacts, “personal items,” goes along with my finding of people

create space through the use of personal items. The User is engaging in some sort of activity and

is not fully aware of their immediate surroundings. The second category, “furniture” falls into

my second finding, people create space through the manipulation and utilization of the J’s

physical space. I would somewhat use archival research for analyzing the artifacts.

I conducted 3 formal interviews and 4 informal interviews. Formal interviews were done at the J

or in another setting where the interviewee felt comfortable to talk to me. During my first

interview I asked the interviewee questions that would either confirm or deny the assumptions I

had made in my field notes. My interview questions consisted of:

1. Can you take me through a tour of what you do in the J? 2. After we have seated, is there a specific reason you chose the chair and area of the dining

hall we are sitting in? 3. What items did you or frequently bring here? What do they do for you and allow you to

do? 4. Can you please arrange these artifacts/items into categories? 5. What do you think these items do for students physically and mentally here at the J.?

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6. I will act out an observation I have recorded, then have the interviewee give me their interpretation on the selected action.

7. I will ask the interviewee if seating arrangement helps create space from others approaching them.

Informal interviews were conducted randomly when I saw people that I knew, from there I

would ask them questions on what they did while they were there and if they were doing another

activity other than eating. I did a total of seven oral surveys, the surveys were done orally and

were somewhat like informal interviews. I attached a copy of my survey and have placed it at the

end of this ethnography. The question I was focused my survey around was the last question, if

you come to the J and do not want to be approached, how do you indicate so? The results of this

question fell into my three findings.

Research Findings

One of the major ways in which people create personal space I have observed in the J

Dining Hall is through the use of personal items. Personal items constitute as school work, cell

phones, headphones, tablets/Ipods, and laptops. In a public dining hall such as the J there are

many people in the same area and personal items allow groups and individuals to have their

focus on the activity they are doing and not on the others around them. Through participant

observation the most common personal items brought to the J are notebooks, cell phones,

backpacks, tablets, laptops, schoolwork, and books.

In the beginning of my research, through observation, I thought that the use of cellphones

and tablets was one of the top ways in which people in the J created space. However, through an

interview my focus was turned away from cellphones. In an interview conducted on March 31st,

2014, Dean Galliano (interviewee) stated, “Someone would use a cellphone to communicate,

cellphones are pretty much used by everyone so I wouldn't think too much about it, they’re just

probably trying to communicate with someone.” Cell Phones are a means of communication,

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although the user is focused on the conversation they are still communicating and could possibly

be trying to meet someone at the J.

In the interview conducted on March 31st Dean informed that headphones were more

crucial in how items help create space from others. Headphones plug into some sort of device

whether it be a cellphone, IPod, MP3 player, laptop, or some other listening device, and allows

the user to listen to some sort of recording. In lines 70-73 Dean states, “I would say headphones,

if you were to make a spectrum on how people create their own world, headphones would be the

most intense way. In other words headphones do not connect you with anyone, you just plug it

into your laptop or cell phone and listen to music or something.” The person using headphones

can no longer hear their immediate surroundings and are focused on what they are listening too.

Also, when conducting a survey on April 13th 2014, a student had told me that when they do not

want to be approached they indicate by having a pair of headphones in and sitting in a corner. By

having the headphones in it made the student feel as if they were not approachable by others and

they are not focused on their immediate surroundings.

(Pair of Headphones)

The artifact has one black string like that breaks off into a two separate strings then has a

listening device at each end, some have knob that allows the user to adjust the volume.

Headphones allow the user to listen to music or some sort of recording in a public area, it makes

the person using headphones less approachable and they are not likely to go up and start having a

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conversation with someone. In an interview my interviewee deemed headphones as the item that

creates the most space for a person (The category was personal items and falls under electronics).

In the setting of the J students are usually the one using them. I have seen people speaking with

each other while wearing headphones, however, they did not have both of the listening devices in

their ears, and they only had one “ear bud” in.

The artifact is always used to listen in all settings not just in a dining hall, they are used for

entertainment. Headphones are used when a person wants or has to listen to a recording on an

electronic device. The artifact can be used in almost any setting, however, there are situations

and settings where it is not appropriate to use them, some of these settings would be during a

presentation, while driving, and during class. The J dining hall is an appropriate setting to use

headphones. In relation to my project headphones are important because:

• They allow the user to focus on something else than their surroundings

• They do not allow you to hear others around yourself however, if a person is not listening

or is listening to their device on a low volume, the user can hear others.

People that are using headphones are focusing on what they are listening too, they are less

approachable than people who are not. Items related to headphones are other electronic devices

such as laptops, IPod, IPad/tablets, and cellphones. This artifact is one of the ways in which

people create personal space. It allows the user to be fully engulfed in what they are listening too

and not pay attention to others around them. It creates a new mental focus for the user.

Although my interviewee Dean Galliano told me cell phones probably were not key in

creating space, throughout my participant observation the cell phone was the most common

personal item brought out on the table. There were a total of 41 incidents when a cell phone was

either pulled out by the user or was being used.

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(Smartphone, IPhone)

The cell phone allows communication through messaging and phone calls, some come

equipped with other features that allow for entertainment and other applications. When used in

the J dining hall people can either be trying to communicate, entertain themselves, or browse the

internet. An individual can both, use their cell phone to distance themselves from others, and, be

a means of connecting with others.

In 2007 Apple released the sale of the IPhone one of the most popular brand of cell

phones; however, almost every cell phone company now has a smart phone. Cell phones are

widely available.

(The top cell phone carriers in the United States in 2013)

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The modern day smart phone was created in the mid 2000’s. It was created after the

telephone to enable people to contact each other without being by a home or pay phone. The

modern day smartphone allows users to communicate and entertain themselves. Some of the

features are internet browsing, communication, entertainment, and other applications. People

who use their cell phone in the J can distance themselves from others by doing these actions.

The cell phone was created as a means of communication. The cell phone is appropriate

in some situations; however, there are some situations such as work and school where cell phone

usage is looked at as inappropriate. The cell phone in the J dining hall is used by both staff and

students, it is used by the staff on break and by students when they are in the J. The cell phone

can be used in almost any situation and is targeted to almost anyone that needs to communicate

with another person. The cell phone can create space mentally by having users engage in

something than other than their immediate surroundings. Another key artifact in creating space in

the J artifact is a pair of headphones. Headphones plug into some sort of device whether it be a

cellphone, IPod, MP3 player, laptop, or some other listening device, and allows the user to listen

to some sort of recording. A student usually would store these items in a back pack

(Back Pack commonly seen with students in the J).

Students that come into The J before or after class usually have a bag that is used to hold

their personal belongings. There is an area that people can use that serves as place to hold

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backpacks in the J. I am looking at backpacks because it represents a level of comfort. Since

there is an area to hold bags, if a student brings the bag with them to the table they are sitting it

shows they are uncomfortable with leaving their bag in such a public area. Also, when a person

places their backpack on the table, seat next to them, or floor they are altering the area around

them to create personal space. Dean Galliano, interviewee stated after being asked if a student’s

level of comfort is raised when the student brings their back pack with them to the table, Dean

replied, “yes.”

The backpack being analyzed is a product of Under Amour March 2013, however

backpacks have been around for a very long time and are made by many other companies. The

backpack was created to hold equipment a person would have to carry otherwise. The back pack

is made up of cloth material and has two straps that go around your shoulders dispersing the

weight of the items that are being carried to the persons back. At a school setting the back pack is

meant to hold books, note books, binders and other school material. The specific backpack is big,

it is brown beige color however, and backpacks come in all sizes and colors. This back pack is

designed as an all-terrain bag, meaning it can withstand different ecosystems. The back pack is

made up of cloth material and has two straps that go around your shoulders dispersing the weight

of the items that are being carried to the persons back. People who use this item at the J usually

are carrying school supplies.

School supplies consist of loose leaf papers, books, binders, pens and pencils, and

notebooks. The most common school supplies item seen in the J was the notebook.

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(Spiral notebooks)

The artifact being analyzed is a spiral notebook. The original notebook has two flaps on

the front and back, the flaps are often made of cardboard and plastic, and are filled with paper.

Notebooks have a variety a paper, color, and designs, some of the most common are ruled,

memorandum, or blank sheets of paper. The spiral notebook is bounded by string of metal that

coils in between the ruled paper, the paper often has three holes that allows the notebook to fit

into a binder. The notebook is used to write information down, drawing, and other purposes. In

the J the notebook is often used for schoolwork. In the J it allows students to go over class work.

When a student is using it in the J it is often because they need to study for classes. The

student may not have enough time to go back to where they live and study so they need to do it

while eating at the J, The notebook is used when a person needs to write or review information.

For this project, when a person is writing in their notebook it is often used as homework or for

other studying purposes. The notebook is often used in class as a way to take notes.

The notebook can be used as a way for customers of the J to create space. By a person

reading or writing in their notebook they are focusing in on that subject and they become less

aware of their immediate surroundings.

Throughout my research these Items were arranged on the table in different ways. A

common occurrence when people were using these items is that people would not approach

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them. This is very important in creating space they are doing an action that indicates to others

that their focus is somewhere else. A common reason for students using their personal items in

the dining hall is due to the student’s time. Some students do not feel as if they have enough time

to go back to the resident hall. In the interview conducted with Dean Galliano, Dean stated,

“people just come to the J get something to eat for energy, and then get on with their day and

other stuff they were doing.”

Students coming to the J might not have enough time in their schedule to both eat and go

somewhere else to use their personal items. During the breakfast and lunch hours, it is likely the

student is just eating there in between classes. At night the student usually has fewer activities

scheduled or they are little more flexible so in this case they are using the items for entertainment

Another way in which people have been creating space in the J is through the utilization

and manipulation of physical space in the Jolly Giants Dining Hall. With so many tables and

such a vast space groups of students and staff often sit spread apart from each other when the

time allows them too. Throughout twenty one observations I had noticed individuals sitting along

the perimeter of the J next to a window. This area is significantly far away from the center of the

J.

Throughout the timed observations I noticed individuals sitting with their backs to the

center and entrance of the J. By not facing the people coming in it is allowing the individual to

not be seen by those who are entering, it is a form of being less approachable. Another common

manipulation of the J’s space was the rearrangement of chairs. Throughout numerous

observations I noticed groups of two where one of the members would arrange their chair so they

could be facing the other directly.

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In two informal interviews people had responded that the actual space of the J helps them

create space. In an informal interview done on Saturday, April 12th, 2014, interviewee, Ariana

Navarro, was asked how does she indicate she does not want to be approached at the J. Ariana

Navarro replied, “I get my food, leave my headphones in, and sit in one of the corners next to the

window.”

This was a similar result observed in numerous observations of individuals either sitting

in the corner next to a window. In an interview done on April 24th, 2014 interviewee, Carla,

freshman, was asked how she created her own space at the J. She replied by saying she chooses

one of the rectangular tables and sits in the seat closest to the window to allow her to gaze out of

the window. Through the seating arrangement and furniture provided by the J she is able to

create her own space. When I had asked Carla why she likes to sit there she replied, she likes the

rectangular tables more, the windows give her a sense of being outside, and she likes to come

alone so she feels as if she is less approachable.

Common ways in which people create space is through the furniture at the J. People

rearrange the seats at tables. When students do this they move seats in any direction and allows

for more or less space at the table. The circular tables in the middle of the J usually have 8-9

seats around it and can fit a few more chairs. When people do this they are creating more or less

space for themselves or the group that they are with. Another common way that people use the

furniture is for a person to sit right next to a pillar or column in the J that is there for structural

support. When a student sits next to a pillar they are blocking themselves from others vision,

intentionally and unintentionally.

The final common way in which people create space is through body language and

physical expression. As I stated earlier in my project I did not include people’s expressions and

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body language in my timed observations. I included this information in my “wrap-up,” analysis.

A common way in which people express and use body language that they do not want to be

approached is through clothing articles. The J is an indoor dining hall so there is certain

clothing/accessories that are not really that appropriate for an indoor setting. The clothing items I

noticed were people wearing their hooded jackets and sunglasses. In an informal

interview/survey, Marissa, freshman at Humboldt State University, told me during the survey

that she would keep a straight face and wear sunglasses when she does not want to be

approached. The sunglasses give her a feeling that she will not be approached which is way in

which she is creating space. In another survey, Nicole student at Humboldt State University,

stated she keeps a straight face when she wants to have her own space from others. Facial

expressions are a way in which to reflect how one is feeling inside. Another way of expression

was through the use of hoods. This was seen in observations and goes along with the same idea

as the sunglasses, people are going to have a hard time noticing who you are and will not come

up to them.

Conclusion

The setting in which I studied was a dining hall setting at a college campus. This is a

social setting and the tables are set up for that. There are many different ways people create

space and it is not the same for any two people. These were the common ways in which I saw

people creating space throughout my research. One of the most common ways in which people

create space is through the use of personal items, such as electronics and school work. In the

Jolly Commons Giant Dining hall it is common for people to create space through the

manipulation and utilization of the physical space in the J, including people distancing

themselves from others and through the rearrangement of furniture. People also created space for

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themselves through facial expressions and body language. Students and users often created space

for themselves because of time. The student or person in the J did not feel is if they had enough

time in their schedule to fit in time to eat at their living space. To further this research in the

future I would look into more into the motivations of why they would set up personal space in a

public setting and not just go to a more private area.

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Bibliography Apple. "Apple - IPhone - Where to Buy." Apple - IPhone - Where to Buy. Apple, n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. "Grading the Top 10 U.S. Carriers in the First Quarter of 2013." FierceWireless. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. Smith, Bob. "Skullcandy." Why Didn’t I Think of That. Skull Candy, n.d. Web. 14 May 2014 "Under Armour Hustle Backpack." Under Armour Hustle Backpack. Under Armour, n.d. Web. 14 May 2014.

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The J I, Alex Wright, am conducting this survey as part of my project on the experience of ageing in an assisted living facility conducted as part of a class at Humboldt State University (Anth 318: Ethnographic Methods). I would appreciate your input. Please direct comments or complaints to Rebecca Robertson (826-5286 or rer3@humboldt.edu).

Through ethnographic research I am going to examine how people create their own personal space in a public setting. When an individual or group creates their own personal space they are separating themselves from the rest of the surrounding area, they are distancing themselves physically and mentally from one another that are occupying that same space. For my specific research I am using the Jolly Giants Dining hall as my field site. By answering this survey you are providing consent for the results to be used for ethnographic research only.

Your username (ahw12@humboldt.edu) will be recorded when you submit this form. Not ahw12?Sign out * Required

Name *

Grade level

o Freshman

o Sophmore

o Junior

o Senior How many people do you usually come here with? *

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

One person 10 people

What items did you bring with you, please circle all that apply *

o Note Books

o Backpack

o Cell phones

o Head phones

o Laptop

o Tablet

o Books

o Ipod

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o Schoolwork

o Other (Please Write what ever else you had brought) What are you doing with the items that you brought? *

This is a required question Do you usually sit in a certain area? If so where and why? *

This is a required question If you come to the J and do not want to be approached, how do you indicate so? *

Send me a copy of my responses.

Submit

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