[Blue Screen of Feels]

I need help.

We are supposed to write about the 'spirit' of a place. My professor suggested we go to a place like the bus stop, a railway station or any other such place, spend two hours or so and pick up on your feelings and surroundings and write around 1,500 words.

I didn't want to what everyone's doing and thought I'd write about my mind as a place, after all, we introverts spend most of our times internally, within our minds.

Got anything that might inspire me?

[DemonD]

The title "Ghost in the machine" popped in my head...wierd...

The spirit of the mind seems like a very interesting read. The subject, the original one(not the mind one), would be too abstract or too 'ooga booga' for me, if you know what I mean. Wouldn't matter though, as teachers don't really care for authenticity.

I thought I had something helpful, when I started writing. Turns out I didn't...sorry.

[theorycraft]

Do you want an A? I can totally see him taking points off because your mind isn't a physical place and the whole point of the essay is to capture an external environment rather than an internal one. What is your read on your professor? If no read I would just bullshit it and write about a cemetery. The quiet somber atmosphere laced with flowers and memories. The weathered tombstone (pizza pic below) chipped away by time, some blatantly abandoned. Then add some existentialist crap about immortality and self preservation. Here is inspiration:

[Ista]

• Essay: I don't actually go outside, so here's a place in my head?
  
  "If I was a bit-o-food inside a shake-n'-bake bag..."
  You could perhaps even make it interesting, describing the chemical breakdown from the food's viewpoint and how it made you feel as the food. For the spirit component, the gases and vapour could become some sort of spirit metaphor. Of course this may make you appear a little mad.

Okay, so I think this is one of those could-be-embarrassing essays and that people shouldn't be made to rant on about these things unless they really want to. Even so..

Smell something - you'll be reminded of a place. Even if this means going to pharmacies and smelling their perfume, inhaling at restaurants, cooking essences, hipster body shop type places. Sooner or later you'll be taken to a place that cuts to a place your brain remembers lots of details about. Smell is like the Si-Express, and somehow it also seems to cross-wire with emotions.

You could make something up. All I can think of are uncomfortable things that would make the essay-giver squirm as much as the question does. Since when are students there for you to use as Feelies nibbles over a wine?

[Salamandre]

well if you want to avoid being redundant with the other students then try an very oblivious place like an crowded mall or town center. It seems your professor is looking specifically for you to write about movement and the dynamic ambience of an place. Perhaps to accent how we are losing spirituality and free will to fit in an ever demanding society but can not turn around. And the lack of recaputilation that one can only begin to understand thier spirit if they affirm thier deepest desires. This is atleast how my [Ni] is interpreting your first two sentences. I don't have a read on your proffesor but if it is what i suspect then reintroduce what most of students will write about in a different perspective. Talk about how there's an uplifting sense of renewal in the mall . That the advent of new experiences and curiosity is part of the spirit and how there's almost a lost sense of serenity there.
Generally all essays want you to explain an previously oblivious sense of acknowledge to an topic and why. Figure out the kind of revelation your proffesor is looking for and find an unconventional method of exploring that. If all else fails follow theorycraf's suggestion. Add in you were listening to "there ain't no rest for the wicked" while there.

[DemonD]

 

well if you want to avoid being redundant with the other students then try an very oblivious place like an crowded mall or town center. It seems your professor is looking specifically for you to write about movement and the dynamic ambience of an place. Perhaps to accent how we are losing spirituality and free will to fit in an ever demanding society but can not turn around. And the lack of recaputilation that one can only begin to understand thier spirit if they affirm thier deepest desires. This is atleast how my [Ni] is interpreting your first two sentences. I don't have a read on your proffesor but if it is what i suspect then reintroduce what most of students will write about in a different perspective. Talk about how there's an uplifting sense of renewal in the mall . That the advent of new experiences and curiosity is part of the spirit and how there's almost a lost sense of serenity there.
Generally all essays want you to explain an previously oblivious sense of acknowledge to an topic and why. Figure out the kind of revelation your proffesor is looking for and find an unconventional method of exploring that. If all else fails follow theorycraf's suggestion. Add in you were listening to "there ain't no rest for the wicked" while there.

No, his teacher just wants to know about the 'spirit' of a place. Clearly he's insane.

[Blue Screen of Feels]

Do you want an A? I can totally see him taking points off because your mind isn't a physical place and the whole point of the essay is to capture an external environment rather than an internal one. What is your read on your professor? If no read I would just bullshit it and write about a cemetery. The quiet somber atmosphere laced with flowers and memories. The weathered tombstone (pizza pic below) chipped away by time, some blatantly abandoned. Then add some existentialist crap about immortality and self preservation. Here is inspiration:

No, his teacher just wants to know about the 'spirit' of a place. Clearly he's insane.

I am pretty sure that he's an INTP. Insane is correct.
Dr. Cheriyan Alexander - headstreams

[eks]

We are supposed to write about the 'spirit' of a place. My professor suggested we go to a place like the bus stop, a railway station or any other such place.

Liquor store. Full of spirits.

[DemonD]

Liquor store. Full of spirits.

[tangosthenes]

Sounds like he wants you to comment on the drudgery of the modern world or something like that.

Describe your room and the "feeling" of some random thoughts in very abstract terms, he wont know what hit him. If he asks where you were just say on top the stairwell of an apartment building.