I heard squeals as the third-week schedules were passed out to my fellow Medill cherubs. For many of them, the Chicago River boat tour would be their first day downtown.

While I looked forward to a fun time with friends, I was not as anxious because I am a Chicago-area native and have been downtown many times before.

The anticipation built up for the other cherubs. My friends began asking me questions about Chicago that I could not answer. The city that was once so familiar seemed like a mystery to me. I considered that I have never been on a boat tour. I decided to go downtown with a ‘same city, new perspective’ attitude.

The buses dropped us off at the Wrigley building, near the loading dock for the boat. We stood in the hot sun as we waited to board the boat. Everyone took pictures, and I began to act like a tourist in my hometown. I took pictures of the river and buildings, as well as pictures of my friends.

As the boat made its way toward Lake Michigan, I photographed the buildings lining the left and right sides of the river. I had never seen the back of the Civic Opera House or the Boeing building, and I snapped pictures of them. We took group pictures with the Chicago skyline behind us as I unexpectedly and pleasantly felt like this was my first time in the city I thought I knew so well.