Affinity Map

Background:

I made an affinity map to show the various types of sports and the differences within each. I am an avid sports fan and came away with knowledge I never really thought about.  For the Y-Axis, I chose "with balls" at the top and "without balls" at the bottom, as well as Mental and Physical on the left and right of the X-axis. I used a different color in each quadrant to show the uniqueness of each sport.  The only problem I encountered was whether to put a particular sport more towards physical or mental.  Football and basketball gave me the most trouble because they are are extremely physical and require you to be in good shape.  On the other hand, they are both team sports which require every player to know the play and what to do in certain situations (mental). I feel both traits are equally important so I placed them in the middle.


Conclusion:

With this assignment, I wanted to literally see the difference between the sports that I know.  I learned that most sports are physical and do not require a ball to be played. This was a surprise to me because prior to this assignment I imagined that almost all sports required one.   I liked making an affinity map because it allowed me to see words rather than numbers on a coordinate plane.  Being a finance major, I'm used to numbers.

My Mind Map

Mind Map Assignment:

Background: The subject of my mind map has been my problem over the past week and a half. I was driving home from work and got into a car accident that totaled my car.  Living off campus, having to go to work in providence and daily meetings for student involvement has made this experience extremely difficult.  This map has been my thought process since the day of the crash.

Map 1: Once I got into the accident, numerous thoughts were going through my mind.  I reflected on them and wrote down every means of transportation possible.   Whether I call a taxi, rent a car, take public transportation, or buy a new car, they all cost money.  I then took a twenty minute break and AHA!  I realized that I am a broke college student who has relied on numerous friends which I heavily circled in red.  My second mind map breaks down the reasons why I love my friends and how they help me from fulfilling my duties. 

Map 2: I kept the central image because I feel it cements the theme for my map and catches the attention of the viewer. I continued with the focus of “prohibits” as a way of reminding the viewer of my problem with the addition of a “solution.”  I drew images that reiterate my problems to emphasize the negative effects.   I then thought of every word that came to mind that describes a true friend:  Giving, Reliable, Free, Forever, Understanding, Respectful, and Funny are the words that first popped into my mind.   I drew the stems coming from “Friend” with a variety of colors because I wanted to show each word in a unique way.  I value friendship and I wanted to highlight that through the various colors.

Conclusion: After completing this assignment, I feel I got more out of it than I expected.  I never realized how fortunate I am to have numerous friends who are always willing to go out of their way for me.  Living off campus without a car makes everything difficult, so I came to the conclusion that I would not be able to do it without my friends.