Torres 1

Belen Torres
Dr. Sharity Nelson
English 1301-102
16 September 2023
First Draft
On the Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Campus in Bullocks Hall, or most
buildings, there is a schedule posted on a bulletin board. TAMIU Rec Sports hosts the event and
posted the schedule titled “Group Fitness Classes” in 2023. The schedule seeks out any TAMIU
student looking to get in shape. By using a schedule as TAMIU Rec Sports method to spread
information, they are helping participants structure their time wisely and establish a routine they
can quickly familiarize themselves with. Schedules can help do this by specifying a location,
routine, date, and/or time. They can also offer additional event details such as where to sign up
(if needed) or websites to investigate.
First things first, a deeper look into the location in which the schedule was posted. It is a
school event as it is known the publisher is TAMIU Rec Sports. This also means the event takes
place on campus. As the schedule is targeted towards students, Rec Sports recognizes that said
students have a busy academic life. They posted the schedule months in advance so students can
clear their calendars and make the proper preparations they need. They also recognize by the end
of the week students are tired. They are ready for the weekend therefore they hold fewer classes
on Friday than any other day. Also, because the location is a university, the schedule includes a
QR code to investigate their website and an email to contact. Putting the location into perspective
allows for the reader to dig into the nuances of the other components included in the schedule.
Secondly, the schedule is sorted by assigned dates and times for each class. In a 9 by 5
column sequence, written on the top of the schedule are the days, “Monday, Tuesday...”. The
event goes for five days out of the week as TAMIU Rec Sports writes that classes begin on “Dec.
1 – 5.” On the left side of the schedule are the times. The earliest class at “12:00pm – 1:00pm.”
The latest at “7:00pm – 8:00pm.” While some classes do overlap with each other, what makes
this schedule interesting, however, is that some font is in a distinct color. Gold rather than the
standard white the rest of the schedule uses. TAMIU Rec Sports writes, “Sign Up Required for
classes in gold.” That is because all classes except for specialty classes are free when you are a
TAMIU student. Additionally, each class is not only given by name and room number but also
by its instructor's name. For instance, one of Thursday's classes at 6 is labeled as, “Step
Sensations Sammy 225.” So, if a student wanted to log onto the Rec Sports website and look at
their instructor to see who they would be comfortable working out with, they could. Overall,
student participants know when classes are available and when they can arrive thanks to the
specified dates and time the schedule plans out.
Lastly, another deep dive into the formatting choice the schedule presents itself in is also
worth analyzing. For example, the backdrop. Behind all the text is a large pink tinted picture of a
group of people assumingly working out. The picture emphasizes the target of the schedule.
 Torres 2

Because TAMIU Rec Sports is using a schedule to gather its students, they know it must be eye
catching enough to hold the possibly-in-a-rush student’s attention. The image is a statement, by
making itself large its saying, “If you’re seeking to get fit, look at me.” Furthermore, not every
slot in the schedule is filled out. In place of some classes there are smaller illustrations to show
that those periods will not hold class or have yet to find a fitness class to hold. Though it might
not be intentional, these empty slots can offer students enough breathing room to plan to go to
more than one class a day. With these formatting choices in mind, these features help keep the
schedule in shape and the student.
To conclude, schedules are usually made with the intended purpose of helping bring
organization and order. University students are busy, therefore establishing dates and time in
advance allows for them to plan for when they can be available. TAMIU Rec Sports used a
schedule to establish a routine that students can familiarize themselves with and become
convinced to attend the fitness classes the organization is hosting. Because of the schedule’s
regular conventions such as class names, dates, times, and not-so-regular conventions such as
QR codes and email addresses, the audience can strengthen their time management skills as well
as structure their own plans in a more concise manner.