It is easy to let life pass you by and to walk the same path each day without paying attention to the world around you. By pausing to take everything in, you will see and appreciate the space in which you exist in a new way. This was certainly the case with me as I built my Walkings Stepbook. My daily walks are much the same, and this challenged me to view each day in a new, creative way. At first, it was difficult to get in the habit of making each walk mean something, but as I added entries, it became a habit. Each new place I visited became an experience to associate with the letters of the alphabet. I began to notice. I found beauty in the things I have coexisted with for the past few years, and in turn, a new appreciation for my college experience and the point of life I am at right now. 

The prompts challenged me to reflect on myself and the surroundings that I admittedly take for granted each day. Through my entries, you will notice that there is an overarching theme of nature and how I was able to relate that to my lived experiences. For many of my entries, I aimed to expand on each topic, diversifying my multimodal elements so that they were more than just photos from my day to day life. I utilized my interests in photography and graphic design to document my walks, building on my skills and hobbies in a way that I found to be fun and exciting! 

I enjoyed feeling challenged by the parameters of this assignment, trying to view the word counts and prompts as opportunities rather than restrictions, and I hope that is apparent when reading all of the entries that I am so proud of. In a world where every day can feel the same, it is important to take a step back and find the beauty in an everyday commute, or even just in the items I carry with me everywhere I go. It is important to notice.

A is for Amelia

November 29th, 2025. Collage and Text

Figure 01. A collage of letters from local signs spelling out my name. (Original photographs, Amelia Ruvo)

Six letters spread out through downtown Chapel Hill. Found on storefront windows, the sign for the locally famous restaurant Top of the Hill, and the modern Ackland Art Museum sculpture. Six letters that alone mean nothing- just portions of the words from which they were collected, but together, they spell out what may be seen as the most important part of my identity- my name. Chapel Hill itself will always be a huge part of my identity. This town has shaped me, transforming as I do, but always remaining Home. (90)

C is for Colors

October 30th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 03. Remarkably red bushes pictured on campus. Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

Many days are filled with cloudy gray skies. As Blacksburg morphs into its wintery self, the blue skies become more seldom. This, I do not mind. The desaturated skies allow me to pay more attention to the foreground. The colors of fall pop amongst the fogged landscape. This specific line of colorful bushes was more than just a little red. They were firetruck red. Stop sign red. The kind of red you imagine only exists in sugary candy and crayons. But here it is, naturally occurring on my daily walk. (90)

D is fo Duck Pond

Prompt 2:19 Duck Pond. October 14th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 04.  Ducks Peacefully swim in the calm waters of Virginia Tech’s duck Pond. (Original Photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

The Duck Pond is a peaceful haven opposite the busy sidewalks of the college campus it parallels. The gentle movement of the water and the quiet ambiance of ducks floating by make it the ideal place to pause and collect your thoughts. With one exception. The Goose. She is not pictured here for fear of getting too close, but believe she runs the pond. Her prominent nose makes her instantly recognizable and her demeanor makes her insufferable to be around. I love the Duck Pond for its ducks, not geese. (90)

E is for Efficiency

2.17 Desire Paths. November 4th, 2025. Video and Text

The campus has become filled with lines paved by students creating the most efficient path. They always remind me of the lines you would see in an ant farm, especially those on the Drillfield. This one next to Durham Hall is no exception. Come time for class changes, the path fills up with busy student ants making their way to and from the bus, each with their own unknown desire. I usually have no need to take this path, but my desire today was to maneuver around some slow walkers. (90)

F is for Favorite Songs

November 19th, 2025, Digital Media and Text

Figure 05. A graphic I created showing my favorite songs of all time with a scannable Spotify code. (Original graphic, Amelia Ruvo)

Music is the most important part of my walks. It sets the tone for how I feel while traveling from point A to B and can make the mundane trip feel interesting. Walking in silence has its benefits, but I much prefer to put my headphones on and lose myself in the music. My music taste is very near and dear to me- my father’s impeccable taste has influenced me for as long as I can remember. I have listed out my ten most favorite songs- the ones I believe to be so timeless that I will still love them years from now. Some of the songs, like Ventura Highway, are uplifting, and I am sure to quicken my pace when they come on. Others such as Fake Plastic Trees make me feel more melancholy and contemplative. No matter how many times I listen to these ten songs, I never tire of them. Through every season and phase of life, they remain consistent and comfortable. If you are curious to listen, scan the code at the bottom of the graphic. (180)

G is for Good Bench

Prompt 2.05. October 30th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 06. A bench is illuminated by the morning sun outside of Surge Space Building. (Original Photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

What caught my eye with this bench was the way the sun was hitting it. The perfect place to sit and feel the sun on my face. A break from the morning chill. A moment of warmth despite my breath hanging in the air. The bench is placed outside of Surge and surrounded by trees, some of which are deciduous while others keep their leaves and thrive in the months to come. Water from a nearby stream trickles quietly. A beautiful view that can easily be seen from this perch. (90)

H is for Harvest Moon

 Prompt 3.14 Star Gazing. October 7th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 07. The full harvest moon contrasts the pitch black night sky above Blacksburg’s main street. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

Tonight’s full moon is lighting my path as I navigate this chilly autumn evening, the first of many. I allow myself to welcome the chill and slow my steps to get a better look at the harvest moon in the sky above. It is impossible to capture the details or the size from the camera on my phone, so I give up and instead hum Neil Young’s tribute to the lunar marvel above. I bask in the comfort of the moon’s glow and the lyrics to my most favorite song. (90)

I is for Inching

October 10th, 2025. Video and Text

Video 02. A small inchworm inches along a bench on the Upper Quad, slowly making its way to wherever it may be going. (Original video, Amelia Ruvo)

Inching along without care and zero awareness to the vast quad that surrounds his tiny body, the inch worm marches on, determined to conquer this bench. The little worm has no knowledge of the cadets marching in line feet away from him. He doesn’t know about the students in Shanks, learning just next-door to his bench. To him, there is only this. The slight drizzle that is just beginning and dark clouds above seem of little concern as he navigates his many legs, many steps only to move so little. (90)

J is for Just Like Old Times

November 19th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 08. West End Market at dusk. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

As the semester rapidly comes to a close, I am faced with a unique issue- I have a surplus of dining dollars remaining in my account. In an effort to spend as much as I can before heading home for break, I have put my cooking on hold and am instead picking up my dinners from the dining halls each night. Every time I walk on the residential side of campus, I am transported back to freshman year when each and every meal was delivered in a paper to-go container. (90)

K is for Kicks

Prompt 2.02 Shoe Portraits. November 29th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 09. My shoes on the brick paths of UNC. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

I excitedly unwrapped this pair of Blundstone Chelsea boots on Christmas morning in my sophomore year of high school. Little did I know they would remain a prominent shoe in my rotation during my junior year of college. These durable boots have gone everywhere with me, regardless of the season. Together, we have visited Scandinavia, Italy, and the Czech Republic. They have carried me through walks in hot, crowded cities and inches of snow in the mountains. Today, they support me through a chilled walk in my hometown of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They are accustomed to UNC campus, and walking on the uneven brick paths is nothing new to them. They have seen these bricks with crunchy leaves scattered on them. They have seen these bricks dusted with the occasional snow. They have felt the water that floods these bricks in hurricane season. After five years of regular wear, they remain completely intact, minus some inevitable on the toe. Even after twenty seasons, they are more than ready to take me on my next adventure, whatever that may be. (180)

L is for Library

October 8th, 2025. Photograph and text

Figure 10.  The exterior of Newman Library and the pink roses that surround it, offer a welcome sight to students and visitors. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

Late nights to early mornings, from freezing, to the first signs of summer, Newman Library has seen me through it all. The CommLab seated within the curved walls was a daunting place my freshman year- a reminder of my shortcomings in the realm of public speaking. This year, it serves as the place I spend the majority of my time on campus. A place where I now attempt to calm the nerves of freshmen who, just like me, worry they will never deliver a presentation without stumbling over their words. (90)

M is for Map

3.06 Draw a Map by Hand. Digital Drawing and Text

Figure 11. Digitally drawn map of my daily walk through campus. Original drawing, Amelia Ruvo)

My walk each day is much the same. I begin at my parking spot at Hillel on Tom’s Creek Road and make my way to work at Newman Library. It is a peaceful walk that I can do in fifteen to twenty minutes, depending on how much I lollygag. The walk is all too familiar, and if I am not careful to notice the world around me, it can feel mindless, almost automatic and completely thoughtless. I find myself making frequent stops to enjoy the familiar morning buzz of campus (90)

N is for New Seasons

November 10th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 12. A photo of me in my balaclava in the snow. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

I knew the second I opened my eyes this morning that it was snowing. The feeling in the air on these mornings can not be described or replicated, just understood. I peeped through my blinds and admired the thin dusting that covered my car and branches of my favorite tree. Winter was making her way to Blacksburg. I walked to work adorned with my hand knit socks and balaclava, both lovingly made for mornings just like this by my mom. Yesterday, the trees glowed orange, but today, they are white. (90)

P is for Pandapas Pond

2.35 Go For a Hike. October 22nd, 2025. Video and Text

Video 03. A woman walks the bridge over the marshy portion of the pond. (Original video, Amelia Ruvo)

The pond is my happy place. I often come here independently to gather my thoughts. Each visit brings new colors, and this particular one was overwhelmingly orange, a stark contrast to the cool toned waters of the pond itself. The path is flat and easily walkable, letting me focus on my surroundings as opposed to my steps. I am never alone here- instead I am surrounded by geese, turtles, and other walkers. Together, we all quietly enjoy the gifts of nature. It is here that I feel the most present. (90)

Q is for Quality of Life

November 18th, 2025. Collage and Text

Figure 14. A collage of some of my favorite Virginia Tech memories, from freshman year to junior year- none of which required a car! (Original collage, Amelia Ruvo)

I am a grateful person. I am grateful for my eyes for letting me see the world around me. I am grateful to my legs for how far they carry me. I am grateful to my nose for letting me experience things fully. I am grateful to this campus as it has given me an opportunity to use these senses to the best of my ability. My home in Chapel Hill is not walkable. I am surrounded by trees and that is all. My quality of life significantly improved upon moving to a walkable area. When I want to quickly grab a snack, I can walk to the store in less than five minutes. Perhaps the best part is how connected a walkable area makes you to those in your community. I live off campus now, but nothing will match the feeling of walking to and from my friends’ dorms freshman year, showing me just how important proximity is for building valuable relationships. I know that once I graduate I will strive to once again live in a walkable place. (180)

R is for RedeSIGN

2.14. Photograph, November 16th, 2025. Digital Media, and Text

Figure 15. Original sign (left) next to the redesigned version I created. (Original media, Amelia Ruvo)

“NO FOOD NO BEVERAGES inside this room! THANK YOU!” This sign hangs outside the classrooms in Shanks Hall. In my opinion, it is unsightly and honestly aggressive. The black text on the orange paper makes me indescribably angry and I can’t help but want to rebel against the rules it has clearly laid out. This is why I decided to give it a small upgrade. The new version is certainly more playful, but still clear. Perhaps this redesign will resonate more with students. Perhaps now they will respect the rules. (90)

S is for School Spirit

October 10th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 16. Torgerson Bridge, better known as “Torg” by students stands proudly at the head of campus below a clear blue sky. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

School spirit is much of what makes Virginia Tech so important to so many students, current and former. Standing on the sidewalk in between Torgerson Bridge and the Pylons that oversee the expansive Drillfield, it is impossible not to be transported back to the first time I stumbled upon this very spot. Seventeen-years-old and set on this school, I imagined how it would feel to belong here. Three years later, the feeling of belonging has only grown, transforming to pride. This spot reminds me of how far I have come. (90)

T is for Travel

November 8th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 17. The beautiful landscape of Davidson, North Carolina. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

When my best friend invited me to visit him at Davidson College, I jumped on the opportunity to travel to a new place and see what makes his campus unique. Davidson is a small school with around 2,000 students, making it only slightly larger than my high school and significantly smaller than Virginia Tech. It feels cozy- everything you could need is a five minute walk away. Everyone knows everyone and it is impossible to go anywhere without bumping into someone you know. While beautiful, Davidson is not Blacksburg. (90)

U is for Up & Down

2.22 Stairs versus Elevator. November 19th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 18. The stairs in Newman Library as seen from the bottom floor. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

Bathmophobia is the fear of stairs. Last spring, I fell down the stairs leading into Hokie Grill with full hands; I could not catch myself and had to accept that I was most likely not going to survive this fall. While that is obviously a hyperbole, I have since preferred to take the elevator when the option is open to me. That being said, I take the stairs in Newman Library almost every day. I only take one at a time which is much faster than waiting for the elevator. (90) 

V is for Volunteer Flowers

October 28th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 19. A flower unexpectedly sprouts near a light pole on the Alumni Mall. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

Not planted, not planned, just sprouting from its own free will. The family I nanny for had pumpkins in their compost that grew like this. They called them “volunteer pumpkins.” I like that. When I saw these flowers next to this lamppost, I knew I could only call them that. Nobody planted them and in fact, I may be the first person to notice them. Small purple blossoms persevering through the windy autumn days. Persistent. These volunteer flowers are so eager to grow, they put down roots wherever they pleased. (90)

W is for What’s in my Bag

2.23 The Things You Carry. November 14th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 20. The objects of my daily purse neatly displayed. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

My purse is a culmination of all the most important things to me. You can tell a lot about who I am based on the small details within the objects I carry every day. Most obviously, my vanity is apparent. I always carry a hair clip, perfume, lipstick (often more than one) and an extra pair of earrings in case I forget. These necessities make me feel like me. I always have my wallet and keys, unless I leave my wallet behind, which happens more than I care to admit. My keys have a small dog tag on them, previously belonging to my dog. At the bottom of my purse I found the very necessary Lactaid and a small fortune from a fortune cookie that reads “There is no greater pleasure than seeing your loved ones prosper.” I don’t know where this came from, or how long it has rested at the bottom of my bag, but it did bring me joy to find. My purse is a collage of me, showing what I need and what I value most. (180)

X is for XT30-ii

November 19th, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 21. My beloved camera, with its custom shutter button and strap. Truly unique to me. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

Through the lens of my camera, the world looks very different. I focus more on the framing of a shot, trying to take an impactful photo that shows my unique perspective. I have always enjoyed capturing my surroundings in this way. My first of many cameras was gifted to me on my tenth birthday. Last spring, I decided to upgrade to the Fujifilm XT30-ii. I love photographing my favorite parts of my walk with my camera, always finding the results to be more meaningful to the photos from my phone. (90)

Y is for Yellow

November 19th, 2025. Video and Text

As a personal challenge on my walk to work this morning, I exclusively searched for the color yellow. I mostly found it peeking out in construction sights, but it could be found elsewhere too. The leaves have long since fallen and turned, losing their golden hue, but the signs, sidewalks, and bikes around campus usually carried this cheery color. It was the perfect day to look for such a happy color- I walked all the way there without my jacket and instead welcomed the bright morning sun on my face. (90)

Z is for Zooming In

December 1st, 2025. Photograph and Text

Figure 22. A small puddle of water was frozen over night. (Original photograph, Amelia Ruvo)

The art of noticing. Tiny, beautiful things exist around us every single day, but what is the point if nobody sees them? This morning I felt captivated by the beautiful swirls in this frozen puddle. How did they get there? Intricate patterns created entirely by nature. Something that was once just a reservoir of water becomes so much more now that it is frozen and showing off various shades and opacities. Sometimes to see the most stunning imagery, you must zoom in and focus only on what is typically overlooked. (90)