third places in greenwich

Katherine Devaney '25

It is notable that in the 21st century, the lack of third places—environments other than home, work, and school—has taken a toll on the mental health of budding generations. Human connection and interaction are an integral part of development and without spaces that foster socialization, it is difficult to mend the increasing isolation seen within younger people.

In an age of digital interaction, people feel less inclined to go out and connect with others face-to-face when they can simply text, call, or FaceTime a friend. Perhaps as a lingering byproduct of the Covid-19 pandemic, people are spending more time at home than out. In fact, according to a survey by the American Time Use Survey, Americans have increased their time spent at home by 1 hour 39 minutes a day from 2003 to 2022 (Parlapiano).

Greenwich Library

Diving into a new hobby—taking up a new craft or studying a new subject—can often provide a third space. However, more often than not, that extra time is diverted to social media rabbit holes. Unfortunately, according to a National Library of Medicine report, this method is ill-advised, seeing as "more time spent on social media [has been] associated with more loneliness" (PubMed Central). But if there is no longer a pandemic and our friends are readily available, why are people still spending so much time at home?

A partial answer to this question lies in the lack of third places within communities nationwide, especially in suburbia. For highschoolers in Greenwich, the go-to spots for social gatherings are people's houses, restaurants, cafes, school clubs, sports, or the library. While these places provide room for conversation and connection, they limit the ability for one to connect with new people outside of their own friend groups. Additionally, the cafes are generally expensive.

The Reading Room

If you feel personally ravaged by these problems, here are a few peer-recommended Greenwich spots that offer inexpensive settings to go out with friends.

1. Greenwich Library

2. Coffee for Good

3. The Reading Room

4. Local parks

5. Tod's Point

6. The Beak after school every Thursday!

If you ever feel imprisoned by your car dependency or addiction to scrolling, reach out to some friends and venture out to a new place. I assure you that you won't regret it!

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