Valentine’s Day brings love and happiness to the air, but for some, it can be a reminder of the struggles to create connections with others. Third places across campus can help solve that.
“Third places” is a term created by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in 1989, that designates spaces in the community like parks, libraries, coffee shops or a student union as the more informal and relaxed places people go when they are outside of home or work.
Across campus, the best examples of those places include Talley Student Union, Harris and Miller fields and Hillsborough Street restaurants like Cup A Joe. While they are always spaces to take a break or study, the relaxing environment of these places can serve as a space to create friendships and connections with others.
Adding to the comfortable environment of the spaces in general, the events that are held there can even further facilitate connections between students through events and activities.
Michelle Mendez, a third-year studying biology and the University Activities Board late-night chair, said how these specific spaces can make it more inviting to students attending events and how that can help create connections between students.
“If I see an event and I’m like, ‘I don’t know where that is,’ I might be more skeptical about going, but if it’s a place like Talley, where I know I can just walk through and feel out the vibe, I can just step in and step out, whatever I please,” Mendez said.
Mendez said the events that the activities board hosts can be one of the main ways she sees students connect, forming bonds over activities or entertainment that happens at the events.
“For example, we had a Murder on the Menu event. We had catering and you’re placed at random tables and you’re trying to solve this murder mystery with the people around you,” Mendez said. “So a lot of times you have a task or you have a craft you’re doing, you’re asking them questions about what’s around you, it’s also interesting and funny stuff too. I feel like that helps people connect more.”
The environment that the events are held in makes them very easygoing, Mendez said, which is why the setting of a third place makes those places the best spot to host events.
Daniella Carillo, a third-year studying human biology and University Activities Board entertainment chair, also said having events in third places is important, especially since people are often already in the spaces when an event is happening.
“People are there either studying or eating or meeting up with friends or there’s also other organizations and clubs going on who are having their meetings and when their meetings are done, they might see us throw an event at the same time and might pop in,” Carillo said. “I think it’s all due to Talley’s network of people who are constantly there.”
Carillo has even seen attendees who may not have been friends before coming to events in these spaces hanging out outside of the events.
“I’ll see them sitting outside of Talley, or maybe even at the library or on Hillsborough Street,” Carillo said. There’ve been instances where I’ve seen like a group of two, three people, like, OK, I saw you at that event and look at you guys now, you’re out, you’re doing something together. It does make you feel proud inside.’
Carillo also reflected on how being involved with the University Activities Board has given her some of her closest connections, pointing out how student organizations are another way for people to connect.
“People grow very, very close. I could personally say, for inside the organization, we really just have fun doing what we do and we really enjoy each other’s company. It’s a great experience when we tell people to join UAB, we’re like, yeah, this is so great,” Carillo said. “These people really do become your family.”
Of the upcoming events, Mendez said the Heart to Howl game show night could spark the most connections and maybe even some romance. The event will feature Jubilee-style challenges, with “The Button” being one of the main games, as well as games that pair couples and noncouples together.
“I feel like the people watching it love a little messiness, or like a, ‘Oh my gosh, she just said that, oh my gosh, what’s gonna happen next?’ The people on stage might be looking for romance on stage, so I feel like that will definitely happen,” Mendez said. “We could see a couple by the end of the night.”
