I’m not usually the type of person who anticipates the new year, but for the first time in a while, 2022 felt like a fresh start… at least for my professional life, that is. After a six-week-long winter break and a fortnight of online classes, I was ready to return to the Writing Center in person—but with a slight twist!
In my first year on staff at the UCWbL, I was a remote worker. In fact, everyone working from March 2020 to August 2021 was. This past fall, when we returned in person, I still kind of felt like a new staff member because it was my first time coming into either of our two offices. After working from home for a year, it felt odd having a designated workspace that wasn’t my bedroom.
Our Writing Center has two locations, one on each DePaul University campus: in the northern neighborhood Lincoln Park and downtown Chicago, affectionately known as “the Loop.” I was already somewhat familiar with our Lincoln Park office, but after working four days a week in the Loop last fall, I became familiar with that office as well, perhaps even more.
I loved working at the downtown office. I had early morning shifts Monday through Thursday, so the Loop Writing Center was where I started my day. It became a ritual to take the Red Line down to Jackson at 8 a.m. so I could clock in by 8:30.
Every time I walked into the office, I felt a sense of calm. Our space was nice and cozy, with a lot of small side rooms and offices branching off from our central space. It was the perfect mix of social and quiet spaces. I often stowed away in one of the rooms during my appointments, and on days where my schedule wasn’t as busy, I was able to sit in the center of the space and chat with my peers. Overall, it was a pleasure to work there.
The only thing was, the Loop office was kind of quiet. Our space was open and inviting, but we were tucked away on the deserted 14th floor of the Lewis Center, a hub for Law School classes.
Therefore, 2022 was a fresh start for me and for the Loop Writing Center. After many years of calling the Lewis Center home, the office has officially moved to a much more foot-trafficked area—the Loop library!
Our new office has all of the comforts of our old space. Inside, you can still find the orange chairs, the green benches, and of course, our friendly writing tutor staff!
I love our new space because some parts of it have even gotten upgrades. We have a lot more square footage, several break rooms, and larger windows with plenty of natural lighting
The transition into the Loop library has been smooth. I have quickly gotten acquainted with the new office and I know that the move is an important part of the Writing Center’s history.
My schedule this quarter has changed quite a bit from last, but I made sure to keep one early morning shift in the Loop. I still wake up early to get on the Red Line by 8:00 a.m., I still hop off at Jackson, but now, instead of going up to the 14th floor of the Lewis Center, I make my way to our new warm and inviting space in the Loop library.
If you’re reading this blog post and plan to go to the Loop campus, I urge you to stop by the Writing Center! We are open 9-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday in Room 10001, to the right of the Loop Library front desk, on the DePaul Central 10th floor. We’re waiting for you!