The student board of the Residential Hall Association voted Monday night to purchase about 2,000 copies of “Chicago Unzipped” for all freshmen, transfer students and community assistants. The publication is a city guide for college students and young professionals created by Northwestern students.
RHA will buy the $11.99 books discounted at $5 a copy, spending approximately $10,000. About 65 percent of the money will come from linens sold to incoming students at the beginning of the school year.
Loyola University Chicago has already purchased more than 2,000 copies for all its new undergraduate students, as well as 150 copies for its graduate students. Before RHA’s purchase, “Chicago Unzipped” sold 150 copies on the Northwestern campus.
“I feel so proud; my little book’s going everywhere,” “Unzipped” editor-in-chief Julie Bartoszek, a Medill sophomore, said.
Released in August, the book is the first business endeavor from NUCorp, a company that sponsors Northwestern student entrepreneurs. The project had a $20,000 budget.
The book, targeted at young professionals, is written “with a sense of humor and honesty,” said publisher Amanda Junker, a Medill senior and Daily columnist.
“It’s not ‘How to see Chicago in five days’ – we know that students live here,” said press relations manager Merritt Watts, a Medill junior and former Daily staffer. “We don’t assume students have money; we don’t assume they’re 21. We wanted to expose all the facets of Chicago.”
Starting in April last year, “Unzipped” sent out 17 student writers to wander Chicago neighborhoods. The book begins in Evanston and ends in the Loop, dedicating a section to each neighborhood it passes.
“You can walk through the city with this guide,” Junker said. “You could take a day, go from Evanston and work your way down.”
Organizing a Chicago guide by neighborhood is uncomMonday, but Bartoszek said it’s more practical. Chicago is made up of neighborhoods, she said, and that’s what you see when you explore the city. She called the ethnic neighborhoods “the best parts of Chicago.”
Each chapter highlights places to eat, shop and “play” in a particular neighborhood. Within each section there are descriptions of the area and short articles about unique places and their history.
The book is also loosely based around public transportation. Every location mentioned is associated with an El stop or bus number for easy student access.
“We know that if it isn’t public transportation-accessible, students aren’t going to go there,” Junker said.
And making students go out “there” and explore Chicago is what Junker, Watts and Bartoszek want.
“How can people go to this school for four years and only go to Michigan Avenue or Lincoln Park?” Junker said. “I hope our book will help people find out about Chicago.”
“Chicago Unzipped” is available at Beck’s Book Store, Norris Bookstore and www.chicagounzipped.com.
Reach Steph Yiu at [email protected].
