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Springfield was a really interesting trip, even if we didn’t meet Homer or Bart. We (the journalism grad students) did get to meet state legislators and officials, see the capitol, and attend plenty of governmental meetings.

There’s always something extra fun about reporting on location, in person. Springfield was no different. It’s easier to feel motivated because you’re connected to your sources and you get to see them in action. And you’re always bound to glean some extra information from face-to-face meetings with sources.

But I was feeling a little stressed before the trip. It came at the point in the semester when my classmates and I all felt a little harried. Plus, I spent the morning trying to revive a dying internet connection and troubleshooting all my technology.

So it was a relief boarding the train and eventually stepping off onto the chilly, deserted streets of Springfield at 6:00 on a February evening. After a nice dinner with my colleagues,  I buckled down for more work, since I still was unsure about what story I’d be covering the next day.

Then, at 7:30 the next morning, we started our day. We toured the capitol building and got our bearings. I was really surprised– the center of Illinois government felt almost cozy, blending the ornate grandiosity of statues and giant doors with warm colors and homey details like stenciling on the walls.

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The whole of Springfield felt a little like that: more intimate, surprisingly warm and relaxed compared to the fast-paced, take-a-number, cutthroat feel of Chicago’s City Hall.

In Illinois, where our politicians regularly make national news for their unethical decisions, it’s easy to feel really disconnected from our lawmakers.

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But in Springfield, the government officials are so present in the otherwise quiet town that they seem like normal people, going off to the office to do their jobs. I found many of the state legislators to be approachable and accessible– much more than some of the Chicago aldermen and alderwomen I worked with Fall semester.

The state lawmakers seemed very plugged in to what was going on with their constituents, and the ones I spoke with also seemed to be likable, ethical people. It’s good to be reminded that politicians are people too.

The very best thing about Springfield was the sheer volume of potential stories you could find there. We got to meet and chat with Chicago Sun-Times’ Springfield Bureau Chief Dave McKinney, and he agreed, saying “There are a million new stories walking down these halls every day.”

Our Springfield trip really was productive. I came back with some stories about what it’s like to talk with a state rep, the ways you go from meeting to story, and what it’s like to go to a bar with your professors (spoiler: it’s very collegial and professional).

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