My L Train Advice series speaks to L train passengers in Chicago, whether they're new to public transportation or a frequent user. The process of cutting the letters by hand was tedious, time-consuming, and limiting. It forced me to keep to keep each print simple in text and symbols. I tied the whole series together by using a consistent color palette and similar styles of typography.

I came up with each bit of advice based on personal experiences during my semester in Chicago. For example, I’m not that aggressive of a person and through the first few weeks of morning rush hour I let trains go by that were too packed, I let others get on the train before me, and I would get to my internship late. Politeness is good, but you also have to be able to hold your own during rush hour. Which is how I came up with the advice, “There will always be another train, but if you’re running late... just shove.” (Shove politely.)

Using public transportation may have been a small part of my experience in Chicago, but it was a consistent part of my daily routine. This series is a reflection of some of the advice that would run through my mind during my 40 minute commute.