By: Ella Marrufo

Editor-in-Chief

We live in an era of loneliness caused primarily by the preference of digital communication to face-to-face communication. Evidence of this trend can be seen in the decreasing usage of third places in the United States. Third places, a term coined by Ray Oldenburg, an urban sociologist, refers to areas outside of the home (first place) and work (second place), where people can congregate, socialize, and form new relationships. Unfortunately, people’s increasing unwillingness to take advantage of these places contributes to loneliness and limits opportunities for community engagement. 

Areas like coffee shops, parks, and libraries are all examples of third places where people can interact both directly and indirectly with each other. The beauty of these places is that, even without conversing with another person, they allow for indirect contact while staving off loneliness and fostering feelings of togetherness. For example, when you find yourself working late at a cafe trying to grind out a last-minute assignment and everyone around you is doing the same, the room fills with a sense of belonging and community. However, these areas also promote direct communication, encouraging talk between strangers and breaking down some of the barriers that outside of third places may seem too large to bypass. 

While countless research proves that social interaction is critical to mental well-being and longevity, digital interaction, on the other hand, will never be able to provide these same benefits. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, was a time when most people resorted to their phones as their singular form of communication with friends and family. As a result, people lost their safe spaces, their communities, and their sense of belonging. Third places are often areas of consistency and security for people — places that they can rely on no matter the situation. Without this consistency, the pandemic exacerbated the loneliness and depression that no amount of FaceTime calls could remedy.

Urbanization and increasing prices are making third places harder to access, but it is not impossible to find somewhere you belong. Oldenburg stated in his book, Great Good Place, that these places are “where you regularly connect with others … over a shared interest or activity,” meaning that they can be almost anything you want, as long as they align with your interests. Some prime examples include book clubs, churches, volunteer opportunities, community centers — the list goes on. Third spaces are easily accessible, enjoyable, and decrease loneliness and isolation, and therefore should be used to the fullest extent. 

(Sources: Brookings, Today)