One of my goals for May was to write a blog post from a third space environment. Since I started the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Mass, I have been reading them all via free PDF, and after about 15 refreshes leading me back to the first page, I was tired of scrolling down and finding my spot again. What a better place to sit down and start writing in a third space than a library?

If you aren’t familiar with the term, a third space is an environment outside of your home, school, or workspace that is free or low cost, usually public, and one can basically just hang out. Libraries are probably the main one, along with coffee shops and parks. I read that gyms and barbershops are third spaces, but I’m not sure if I would count those because you need to pay for the service before any “hanging out” can occur. Also, my mom owns a barbershop, and while people do stay and talk for a bit, my mom does private appointments and wouldn’t appreciate anyone hanging out. I wouldn’t count on my experiences waiting in the fold-out chairs of Sports Clips “hanging out” either, so I’m thinking that is a very regional thing to do.

But in any case, I think the library is the best place to go for a “true” third space experience. After reading two books on my tiny phone screen, I ventured out to visit my local library and finally checked out the book I’m reading, A Court of Wings and Ruin. I originally wanted to check out that and the fourth book, but it was not available. I live only 5 minutes away, so it’s no problem to come back often.

Even though this library is so close, I have normally opted for the library in the city next door. It is bigger and has longer hours, with large windows that look out over the rest of “The Hill” as we call it, and there are dimmer lights, LEDs not as necessary with the natural light. I have been feeling a little agoraphobic lately, or maybe just a homebody, so I haven’t felt like making the 15 minute drive there for a long while.

I have spent a lot of time here though, as a youth. I read Dork Diaries here when the library was first built in this location, volunteered here when I was 14, and visited a couple of times since then, but only briefly. There have been study rooms added, and an annex for the young adult section. The only space that looks similar to what I remembered is the children’s book area, with its nautical murals covering the walls.

Unlike the City library, this small town one is a lot more lively, perhaps because of its smaller size and relative proximity to all of the patrons. There are people conversing all around, kids playing on the computers since school is out, and I happened to come right as the crochet club was wrapping up.

I enjoy the background chatter, it makes the atmosphere more welcoming. I chose a spot kind of in the middle of everything, so maybe there’s a more secluded spot I could have chose to sit at that would have a different experience.

I don’t really have a plan for this post or any other third space blog posts, I just want to occasionally write from different environments and gather new ideas from it. I could just ramble, as I am now, or work on my draft graveyard, of which there are many options. When I first started writing on my blog regularly in 2020, I posted many right from the city library computers. I did a lot of homework there and naturally my writing for academic purposes turned into writing to procrastinate finishing essays while still feeling like I was doing something productive. I look at my first playlist post and I can visualize writing it from the library computer like I was just there a few days ago, not 6 years ago. I can’t really discern any memories of old posts written from my room though. I think that’s also where this writing idea came from.

Where do you write all of your blog posts from? Do you write all of your posts from your phone? I wish I could, I have tried, and I want to throw my phone at the wall every time! I feel like I can’t format it right, and I like seeing how the post will look on a computer. The only thing I use my phone for is to upload all of my photos.

I am already brewing up ideas for other places I can grace with my pointless presence to ramble and pretend to look like I’m doing something, when in reality I’m just being a goob on a blog. I am also thinking of more ideas that have to do with the library itself, other than finishing the ACOTAR series and watching as many rant reviews as I can find to giggle at. Here’s a photo of me posing with my recent library borrow like it’s a YouTube thumbnail, LOL

That is all I will subject you to for today, if you read to the end I will give you a medal of honor. Until next time!