In what I call the roommate economy, third spaces serve a rangier function. Third spaces are places that are not home (first) or school/work (second), that are intended for socializing or connecting, and affordable (if not free). Third spaces can include cafés, parks, libraries, and recreation centres. As a university student in Vancouver, the most affordable options off campus are living with family, or living with roommates. Beyond campus and home lies a prominent need for somewhere else to go — but options are narrow.
I elected to move hours away from my hometown to chase the romantic notion of independence, and like many others, found this was only possible in a shared apartment. For all the amenities a chic urban apartment awards, entitlement to the space is not one of them. In my opinion, being a courteous roommate evokes a need for certain permissions that being a customer doesn’t. A poignant equality is found in a third space; anyone from students to senior citizens can use it if they choose to. I can’t help but notice the slim selection of third spaces available to me — comfortable places to relax and get things done, maybe hangout with my friends.
Most of my education is external to the actual instructional time I spend in the AQ or the West Mall.
There are papers to write and theory to read — and that second space, “school,” is not a sufficient enclosure for my responsibilities.
In being a patron of a café or other third space, you socialize and work on your own terms.
A need for third spaces persists but their presence does not. Retail rent increases make it harder for small businesses to operate and open hours have decreased in the face of operating costs. Restaurants serve the dual purpose of socializing and sustenance, but they are too crowded to linger, and often even too loud for the sole purpose of socializing. Chain restaurants struggle to uphold the social connection that sparks between small businesses and “regulars” due to high turnover or the influx of kiosks.
Modern student life erodes the barrier between the role of first and second spaces, and third spaces offer an invaluable caulk for the gap. In an economy where most of your items are rented instead of owned, it’s only fair that there are more affordable places to spend your time.
