As winter approaches in Binghamton, campus life narrows to studying, eating and sleeping. With this limited time for social interaction, where we hang out is crucial.
I love Chipotle. I also love eating there with my squad, but in this economy, I’m walking out of there almost $20 poorer and that doesn’t sit right with me. From transportation costs to rising food and drink prices to activities that charge hefty fees, hanging out with friends can quickly become expensive.
In his book “The Great Good Place,” sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term “third space” or “third place,” referring to a public location outside of home and work that fosters social gathering within a community. Often romanticized in comfort TV shows like “Friends,” “Cheers” and “How I Met Your Mother,” there’s a warm familiarity in seeing friends return to the same place regularly.
Businesses like restaurants, bars and coffee shops comprise the majority of third spaces we see in the United States, surpassing parks, libraries and other community centers. In these spaces, the capitalist trend of commodifying customer leisure to prioritize efficiency and profit over customer experience is killing third spaces in America. When we lose the affordable, communal places we cherish, it limits our ability to connect and ground ourselves in our own communities.
Notably, top fast food brands are opening locations at an exponential rate, especially in low-income urban communities. Companies like McDonald’s, Wingstop, Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Starbucks invest heavily in quick-service restaurant formats. Many of these companies, especially in the fast food market, are investing in antilinger designs or hostile architecture to make you want to buy food but not stay to eat. This is achieved through express locations for grab-and-go orders and aesthetic choices that aim to minimize the time customers spend in the space, encouraging high turnover and maximizing purchases.
Contemporary fast food infrastructure keeps customers moving and spending, chipping away at the informal, low-cost spots where real community is built. Urban and rural communities alike rely on public spaces for socializing and gathering and should have options that don’t impose a financial burden. People have historically protested the closure of beloved small businesses in their neighborhoods, especially when they’re replaced by commercial development. The result of the loss of this infrastructure in communities is poor mental health outcomes, such as stress, loneliness, inactivity and alienation, which are particularly harmful to older adults, children, the chronically ill and socially marginalized groups, according to an article published by Health Place.
Compared to previous generations, Gen Z is becoming more sedentary and engaging less in activities such as sex, smoking and drinking. While some of these changes reflect positive changes in health education, they also signal a shift toward increasingly digital social connections. As work and school activities shift online and fewer opportunities to participate in third places arise, many young people’s peak socialization now occurs virtually rather than in person.
Similarly, the limitations of infrastructure for third spaces to exist leave a decreasing, but notable, percentage of teens seeking to fill social voids with risky vices like smoking and drinking. These behaviors are often attributed to a lack of social bonds and feelings of not belonging to local or school communities, but there’s a surprisingly valid argument that youth ritualize drinking and smoking as a means of coming together to socialize.
While these vices have serious consequences like addiction, violence and accidents, the rise of these practices says something about the inherent need for human connection. When you look deeper, it becomes obvious that providing youth with accessible third spaces will allow them to socialize and connect in healthy ways, rather than turning to these bad habits.
My attitudes toward how work is prioritized in the United States became apparent to me after spending a semester in Spain. I’ve seen what it’s like when having third places is truly part of a culture and lifestyle. Across Europe and elsewhere, people — students, workers and elders — gather in plazas, parks, cafes and bars, often without any pressure to buy much or leave quickly.
These aren’t just places to spend money — they’re where life happens, where you can sit for hours, see old friends or even make new ones. The atmosphere is open, communal and feels like it truly belongs to everyone. European metropolitan areas have higher population densities and more centralized land-use patterns, while the distribution of suburban land in the United States is highly inefficient, built around reinforcing vehicle dependence rather than building communities.
Having variety in where we hang out matters. Of course, we can try to incorporate third space culture into our busy lives. For example, the lively work environment portrayed in “The Office” was born of a real need for social bonding in an otherwise dull job. But I believe we have a right to spaces outside of work and school, places where community and conversation can come together informally.
The concept of third spaces expands beyond businesses and can be explored right here on campus. Investments in student lounges and spaces that align with the social environment of places like the University Union Undergrounds would go a long way toward creating a true sense of community for students. If we want to feel grounded and connected to our expanding campus, we as students must advocate for the creation of community spaces that people actually want to use.
Nicholas Rubiera is a sophomore majoring in sociology. [ITALICIZE]
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial. [ITALICIZE]