A ‘third space’ refers to a space that is neither home nor work; instead, it is a separate unrelated location. Third spaces typically act as a place for community and socialization, and they are crucial in the search for a good work-home life balance, general happiness, or to improve quality of life.
I recently asked a classmate what the typical third space for people nowadays is, and she responded that it was our phones: despite the truth of this, I found it jarring. This may even make the need for a physical third space in our lives even more crucial, considering the negative impacts that social media can have on a person’s mental well-being.
The search for a third space in St. John’s is not necessarily an easy one. We don’t live in a metropolis, and we don’t have an overly accessible public transportation system. Further, we are currently in the middle of one of the coldest parts of the winter, and our cellular third space may seem like the easier and warmer solution for our social lives.
I recently came across a Reddit post where a former Starbucks barista described their experiences working in one of these coffee shops during its cozy third space era, as opposed to its current form as a corporate fast food productivity machine.
I have noticed this change myself, yet I was never able to put it into words. A third space is often not super profitable, at least in comparison with more recent efficiency models which include drive-through and mobile order services. I, like many of my friends, still mourn the cozy Starbucks in Chapters that acted as my second home and a refuge from the annoyances of regular school and work life.
It is easy to feel downcast about the general cultural and economic shift away from third spaces, but it is still important to search for spaces to build community or even to just get out of the house for a while.
Mun-Based Third Spaces
For MUN students, the university itself may act as the ‘second space’ of work. Many students work on campus, and if that isn’t the case, we all spend a lot of time here studying and attending lectures. Despite this, MUN still offers some potential third spaces that are further accessible to those living on campus or who depend on public transport.
- The Breezeway
Despite being the best spot for coffee on campus IMO, I find that The Breezeway often gets overlooked by students. Unlike many other popular areas on campus, there is pretty much always available seating at The Breezeway, making it one of my favourite places to spend time both during and after the school day.
Every Wednesday from 7-11 pm, there is an open mic night where anyone is welcome to take the stage for singing, stand-up, dance, or anything that interests you, or you are welcome to simply act as an entertained audience member (19+, free cover!)
Every Thursday from 8-10 pm there is a weekly trivia night where teams of 1-6 are welcome to compete for prizes (19+, free cover!)
- Clubs & Societies
It is highly recommended that students look into the many clubs and societies offered to them, as they offer an invaluable community space for like-minded individuals. My involvement with MUN clubs and societies has been incredibly fruitful and has given me an amazing support system and friend group, which has made all the difference for me as a student who began my education during a fully online and fully isolating first year. This is an experience I only pursued in my third year of classes, so it is really never too late.
Undergraduate clubs & societies: https://munsu.ca/directory
Graduate clubs & societies: https://www.gsumun.ca/student-clubs
- Volunteering
The SVB (Student Volunteer Bureau) offers many great volunteering opportunities for MUN students, and they are a fantastic way to develop invaluable skills and create community experiences. If you are interested in receiving volunteer and personal or professional development opportunities, along with other student events and news, subscribe to the SVB weekly for mail updates.
Volunteer opportunities: https://www.mun.ca/volunteer/the-svb-weekly/volunteer-opportunities/
SVB Weekly: https://www.mun.ca/volunteer/the-svb-weekly/
Other Third Spaces
- Coffee Shops
This one seems like a given, but one thing St. John’s is not lacking is good coffee, and tons of local options still have that cozy third-space feel (and honestly just better coffee than those big chain companies). Some personal favourites include:
Rocket Bakery (294 Water Street)
Madras Cafe (183 Duckworth Street)
Coffee Matters (1 Military Road)
Jumping Bean (37 Elizabeth Avenue)
The Grounds Cafe (1525 Portugal Cove Rd)
- The Gym
While speaking with people during the writing of this article, almost everyone claimed that the gym was their go-to third space and that it was the perfect space to clear their heads after a long school or work day. Perhaps I should be going there… nonetheless, it seemed important to include in this list considering both the physical and mental benefits that exercise can have, especially during bitter winter months when it can be hard to find motivation for outdoor activities.
The Works offers an affordable subscription to its facilities for MUN students; however, there are other affordable options locally, such as Planet Fitness and Fit4Less, whatever suits your fancy.
- NL Public Libraries
If you are trying to find the perfect third space, I cannot stress enough how valuable libraries are for community building and free access to a wealth of resources. By getting a library card, you are supporting access to these resources, and this is needed now more than ever, especially when the library may be the last truly free public third space. Also, reading is fun!!!
Locate your closest library: https://nlpl.ca/library-contacts/public-library-branch-locations.html
Register for a library card: https://getthecard.nlpl.ca/
Feedback
This is in no way an exhaustive list; in fact, it is lacking. I, like many others I have spoken with, have been struggling to come across sufficient local third spaces.
Yet, as I mentioned, these spaces are incredibly vital, so if you are interested in adding to this list to benefit your local community, or even to plug a local third space, club, or group, I urge you to reach out to me at olharrhy@mun.ca.