My idea for the final project has to do with the LIRR. I’m from New Jersey and have literally only visited Long Island twice in recent years, but from what I understand, the LIRR commute is a unique brand of hell. News outlets constantly report on LIRR delays and problems. I would look into why this rail line in particular seems to be plagued with so many problems. I’d be interested in learning about why students choose to commute via train instead of, for example driving or carpooling into the city for school. I would want to know what they do during their long commutes, how much they spend each year on transportation and hear stories about LIRR experiences.

I could definitely do a video for this topic. By riding the LIRR with interview subjects, they could discuss what it’s like to be an LIRR commuter while actually being en route. I could also do a photo slideshow with different images from what seems like an often mundane commute. An article would obviously be an additional piece of this project. Although the subject seems bland, I think it’ll be interesting to calculate how much time and money is spent commuting, and what individuals stuck on a train for hours each week do with the time.