Grand central terminal has always been a place of chaos, exploration, and fascination. New York City is fortunate enough to have such a grand terminal, that in reality only has one purpose really and that is to get a person from point A to point B. Despite the purpose, the terminal has great history that normally I wouldn’t be knowledgeable about if it was not for the audio tour. The tour told me the basics such as the terminal having over 40 platforms and over 60 different tracks. The terminal cost over two billion dollars to built in the 1900 which I found very fascinating. What attracted me about the terminal as a whole is the celestial ceiling. I had always wondered about it and now I know the purpose of making it the way it is now is to show off the effect of “illimitable space”.
Grand Central has been used as a film platform for so many different movies and tv shows. The first thing that comes to mind is gossip girl where Serena enters back home through grand central after disconnecting from the world for the whole summer. Shooting scenes at grand central give off a grandeur vibe of mystery. The terminal is so large and intricately designed that a lost girl entering with a suitcase is the typical beginning of many billboard movies. Grand Central is also a prime spot of shooting romantic scenes. There’s the typical recruited love between two individuals after they have been apart for however long of a time period.
If I were to create a story that would occur that would add dimension due to the fact that it’s being taken place at grand central, it would be a more nationalistic story. I snapped a picture of the large American flag hanging in the middle of the terminal. Anna had to leave her husband as he went to serve in Iraq at this exact same spot three years ago. Taking in all the people around her, she had taken a deep breath and tried to contain the excitement she had felt. She was about to be reunited with her husband in the same spot, three years later. In that time, so much had changed. Their daughter grew up and their old dog had ended up passing away. Anna had her precious daughter to spend everyday with, but there had been countless nights where there were sleepless nights, wondering if her husband was even alive. When he had Skype called her and said he would be coming home, she was counting down the days. Now, she’s standing in the middle of grand central, looking around, trying to spot that face. Then she sees him, standing on top of the stairs of grand central, and it was like time had stopped for one split second. Her heart full again. Without hesitation, Anna sprints to him and his arms engulf her instantly. “I’m back” he softly whispers and Anna’s face is a mix of tears and laughter. Taking her hand in his, they make their way out of grand central terminal, and walk under the American flag.
Grand Central is more than just a terminal for people to catch the next bus or train. Grand Central is more than just a place for tourists to take pictures. It is a symbol. A symbol for perseverance, the magnificent feeling of living in New York City and everything it entails, a symbol for moving forward. Now, instead of rushing through grand central next time I need to catch a bus, I will stop to appreciate. Appreciate that not many cities in the world are able to have terminals like this. Appreciate the fact that I’m living in New York City, in a city full of wonders and chances. The audio had helped me put all the pieces together of the terminal with facts and explanations. And the experience of going there without the destination helped me realize it was not just a terminal. It is so much more.
I like the nationalistic approach you took to the story, especially since the flag was an aspect of Grand Central Terminal that is easily overlooked given the Whispering Wall and other artistic components. I also agree with you that the GCT is a staple of NYC as a place of perseverance and community. Great blog!
I really liked how creative you were! Your story was so funny and I learned some things about the station that I didn’t learn through the audio tour. Good job!
Julie
I thought your blog was extremely informative. I like how you took a unique approach of using a nationalistic theme (a theme no other classmates wrote about) to tell your story in Grand Central Station. Additionally, I love how you concluded with a deep appreciation for and understanding of Grand Central Station. I believe this is one of the reasons Macaulay requires their students to take this class.
Great work,
Andrew Langer