Tong Qiu

The Windy Citizen is a collection of short essays centered on Chicago, the city where I hope to begin a full and ordinary life after graduating from WashU. During college, I’ve returned to the city countless times and for countless reasons—sometimes deliberately, sometimes by accident—and along the way, I’ve gathered stories with people and place that exist both on and off the record. By documenting these moments through writing pieces, I’m building a personal memory box while trying to capture the city as I experience it. 

Coffee and the City explores why we all turn to coffee—often for the same cup, but rarely for the same reason. As a half-professional (and occasionally fully serious) coffee person, I’ve spent time learning beans through tasting and cupping, while also lingering in cafés long enough to notice what happens beyond the counter. Coffee shops are not just places to drink; they are places to talk, to work, to watch, and to briefly belong. This collection documents the cafés I’ve visited and the details that caught my attention—particular groups of people, unspoken atmospheres, or interiors that quietly shape the way a space feels and functions.

Thoughts on the Day gathers the fleeting ideas that pass through my mind—often sparked by an ordinary object, a single word, or a passing trend. These pieces lean more reflective, tracing the quiet philosophy hidden within everyday life. They ask small but persistent questions: how much do we take for granted, and how often do we move through the world on habit rather than awareness? There are no definitive answers here, only moments of pause—places where you might recognize a familiar thought, or find an unexpected one of your own.