Coffee Shops and College Towns
College kids love their coffee shops. Simple fact.
I didn't realize how vital coffee shops were to the everyday lives of college students until I was one myself. I spent almost every day in a coffee shop or the drive-thru of a coffee shop.
Whether it's Stella Nova or Michelangelo's on Main St. or Starbucks on Campus Corner, the coffee shops in Norman have become my regular spots. The atmosphere of the coffee shops is what I enjoy more than anything. Don't get me wrong, I love a good iced vanilla latte but what brings me back to the sitting area every time is the atmosphere.
There's something about being around 20 people your age all working on schoolwork and downing coffee that brings a sense of unity.
The collective learning and/or panicking environment brings me a sense of calm. Now, I know that sounds complete backward, and that 20 people panicking over various classes is calming to me, but it is. It's somewhat comforting to know that no matter what school we're in within OU or what classes we’re taking, none of us know exactly what we're doing.
And yet, we're all making it.
No matter what's going on outside of the coffee shop or on the screen in front of them, every student is there for a reason: to study, to learn, and to prepare for their future.
The community at a coffee shop is an interesting dynamic. It's essentially a bunch of strangers who share the love of coffee and learning. Headphones are in, and no one is really talking to anyone except for the people they came with, but everyone is there to achieve a common goal, to get their work done.
I think it's hard to find an environment like this one outside of a coffee shop. Sure a library is an option, but it's missing the noisiness that creates a white noise bubble. It feels wrong to talk loudly or collaborate with friends in a quiet library. Coffee shops have machines brewing coffee, warming food, and blending iced drinks, people talking and soft music playing overhead. Having a place like this with noise that's both continuous and in the background is essential for creating your own world to accomplish what you need.
I find coffee shops almost empowering. Every person has come to the building with the intention to have progressed more in their work than when they arrived. Whether that's in homework assignments, meetings for jobs or organization, or studying for tests.
Being in a coffee shop where all around you people are going about their lives, being productive, and improving fosters what I feel is a supportive environment in that I thrive.
