Rant #2 Coffee shops have changed.

Hello!

I've paused in writing my novel to write this post. I am currently in a Dunkin'/Baskin Robbins hybrid, and it's made me consider the changes in coffee shop culture.

There was a time when the coffee shop was an introvert's paradise. You could sit there sociallizing through osmosis while listening to your own music in peace. No one would bother you because they had their own stuff to do. The music was quiet enough to make you feel like you stepped out of your own bubble into another universe. You could literally record a chill 2000s drama tv show in that bean smelling glory.

Every coffee shop I've been to in the past three years smells like burnt toast and plays marimba music louder than your headphones. You're not meant to linger in coffee shops now. Or ice cream shops.

Suddenly, I feel real sorry for teenagers. Where are they supposed to go? I remember spending hours in coffee shops as a teen. What do they do now? When I was teaching, some students mentioned hanging out in parking lots, which is fine... kind of. We would have gotten arrested hanging out in parking lots when I was a teen. That's why the coffee shops and small town diners existed.

What's weird is there are more plug ins at these places than there's ever been. I remember having to sit with strangers to get at the one plug in space when I was younger. I don't have to sit with anyone now, and I definitely don't have to fight anyone. I almost miss it. (Not really!)

Alright. Rant over!

Back to writing!

Jenna Edwards