Central Perk from the show “Friends”, MacLaren’s Pub from “How I Met Your Mother” and Cheers from “Cheers” are classic examples of what sociologists have defined as a ‘third space,’ the grown-up version of a playground to meet people, form communities and manage life’s stresses. While those needs have not changed from generation to generation, the ways people meet these needs have shifted dramatically in recent years.
Coffee shops and bars still exist as third spaces, but packed schedules and tight budgets are often prohibitive compared to the past. Sandra Davis, Nutrition and Dietetics student at Butte College stated “life is a lot more expensive than it used to be, so a lot of the extra stuff for fun just doesn’t happen as much as it used to.”
Traditionally, Third Spaces revolved around one single location that met the social and emotional needs of a community. In a post-pandemic world, the need to spread out the connections across physical and virtual spaces became apparent.
The first way that people are meeting that need is through their gym memberships. A one time monthly fee gets you access to a neutral ground and around people with similar values and wellness goals. While most people at the gym aren’t there to socialize, that space provides a mental reset and wellness oriented.
With the need for destressing met at the gym, communities and friends become the focus of the next set of needs and many people are getting that need met online. TikTok, group chats, and Discord servers are the gathering places of many students searching for their own personal sense of belonging.
Their place in the world is no longer limited by geographical proximity, but by finding the correct online community. Reflecting on her own experiences, Davis said “nobody hypes you up over a pair of new jeans like the girls you’ve never actually met from all over the country… Online, people are more likely to relax and be supportive little chaos goblins.”
This varied approach of meeting our needs as students allows us to mix and match the spaces that support us best and insulate us from the emotional and social impact of our favorite coffeeshop closing, a discord channel disbanding or another world-wide shut down leaving everyone feeling like they have lost their community.
When you think about your own third spaces, what do you notice about how you spend your time and what makes you feel like you belong?
