Pastimes

My time at Lesley University made it easy to schedule interviews with ten individuals. Three attended Lesley. Two were in the art and design college, and the last was a liberal arts student. The interviews focused on who they spent their time with, how they spent it, and their plans. Each expressed fear of leaving college but excitement about having their time back in their hands. I interviewed two recent graduates—an engineering student and a design student in the Boston area. For these interviews, I shifted focus to how their lives had changed post-graduation. They noted many positives, but both shared that they missed the easy access to friends and activities that were readily available at University. To ensure I could design for students and 20-somethings, I expanded my research to include working professionals with and without kids. I interviewed four professionals: a young father, a pastor with adult children, and two teachers. Each shared how their time use shifted with career and family demands. The young father emphasized his personal interests, noting that his children had minimal impact on how he chose to spend his time. The teachers expressed interest in giving back to their classrooms and in what they do day to day to stay sane and happy. The pastor, however, focused more on her adult children; she shared anecdotes about how her kids were when they were little. She mentioned how often family board games would bring them together; she felt most connected with them when they made time for family.