Yao Li

Yao Li

The placement and proportion of the buildings within Harvard yard are fairly accurate on my map, probably because they’re enclosed in a square block (and then are located in specific geometric subdivisions within that block). This orientation helps me systematically rebuild the space in my mind. The general direction of landmarks in relation to each other is the only accurate characteristic on the rest of my map. The most striking difference and cause of inaccuracy is the proportion of buildings and streets – I tend to make them too large, or the space between them too distant. This reflects my perspective in that I only take notice of all the college-related buildings in the area (and some commercial stores); all other landmarks, buildings, and streets are hazy in my memory. This is likely true for all people – we only pass by, visit, and remember a very small portion of the environment we live in, and that portion depends heavily on our past interactions, memories, and habits. Most people do not have photographic memory (and do not need it because prioritizing is a natural survival instinct). In my map, Harvard Yard itself is proportionally too small in relation to the campus as a whole – perhaps the rest of the campus sprawled out so much in my mind because I didn’t have the simple geometric boundaries of the yard to judge distances and proportions with.