There’s no question about the importance of coffee shops in the lives of college students. My wallet understands this concept, as it routinely empties itself in exchange for a cup of liquid gold. And Starbucks understands it, too—in fiscal 2014, they grossed an astounding 16 billion dollars, up 2 billion from the previous year. That’s almost as much as the entire GDP of Iceland. I think it’s safe to say that the world has become addicted.
But what’s so special about a coffee shop? It's easier and less expensive to brew a cup at home. Why has the Starbucks Frappuccino become the cornerstone of the common white girl phenomenon? Why does every real hipster know his or her barista by name? As it turns out, there’s a science behind the importance of the local coffee shop, and psychologists have been studying it for years.
Americans have always split time between two places: work and home. At home, we can relax and unwind. There’s relatively no social pressure. At work (or in class, for that matter), the opposite is true—to succeed, we must be motivated, alert, and proactive. However, splitting time evenly between these two places without a break can be miserable. According to urban sociologists, in order to stay psychologically healthy, we must spend time in a “third place”—a place where we can interact more freely and casually than at work, but more meaningfully than at home or online. In his book titled “The Great Good Place”, Ray Oldenburg suggests that every good “third place” has a set of characteristics:
- It must be free or inexpensive. In other words, people should be able to go to this place a few times a week without going broke.
- It should have food or drink available.
- It must be conveniently located—preferably within walking or biking distance.
- It should have regulars; there should be a group of people who routinely go there.
- It should be welcoming and comfortable
- One should be able to find old friends, but also have the opportunity to meet new ones.
Sound familiar? Yeah, that describes my local coffee shop perfectly.
My senior year of high school, I decided to start going to my local Starbucks every morning. I would spend about an hour there, either reading a book or studying. Although I wasted a crazy amount of money on coffee that month, I learned a ton about the value of a “third place”. In that month alone, I became great friends with Jenny, the barista who made my coffee. I began to notice that the same 15-20 people came every single morning to get their cup of coffee from Jenny. I noticed, too, that these people had developed friendships amongst each other. And they ranged in age, too. Anthony, a middle aged Italian man, became great friends with Bobby, a young professional working for a marketing company. Two of those friends even started dating. Now, Jenny may have only had a smile on her face because she wanted to sell coffee. And some of those friends may have already known each other before meeting at Starbucks. But I think it's safe to say that the Starbucks on Gulf to Bay Boulevard had become a catalyst for social interaction.
As it turns out, our main reason for visiting coffee shops isn’t for coffee at all. Bobby and Anthony, (and me, for that matter), were no longer there for coffee. They were there because that's where their friends met. We go to Starbucks (or, for me, Octane Coffee in Homewood, AL) because we crave healthy social interaction. It makes us feel better—even better than a double shot of espresso—and it’s imperative to living a stress free life. It’s true: I actually can’t stop going to my local coffee shop. I’m there five times a week. A huge chunk of my paycheck goes towards the drinks and food I order there, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t plan to stop going any time soon.
So, to all the common white girls: keep fulfilling your daily Frappuccino craving! To all the hipsters: Keep ordering your single origin, recently roasted, organic, Chemex pour over! By doing so, you’re making yourselves happier and healthier. And, more importantly, you're sparking the sort of social interaction that our increasingly internet-minded world desperately needs.
