Coffee Shop Experience

Today I met my group at the Starbucks in the IMU to do our project. My part involved drawing the map of the shop and observing how it was set up. I had never noticed before how strangely this coffee shop at our schools union is set up. There are two large counters and then a tiny area that looks like most other coffee shops for people to sit with colorful couches. Then there is another much larger area for seating but it looks much more uncomfortable. It is made up with many wooden tables that seat 2-4 people. I would much prefer to sit in the section with the couches but since this area only seats about 6 people and this is a very popular area for students to spend their time it is very difficult to find an available spot on the couch. I think the shop is set up this way so they can include the couches to give the union a coffee shop feel, but also have a larger section so people can sit at tables and get work done but still be close to the shop so they can get refills of their beverages when needed. Most people in the shop were students and professors. The first clue of this is the fact the shop is in the Student Union. It was also very easy for you to tell this because most people there had some kind of book, notebook, or papers in front of them. Even though I don't drink coffee or go to coffee shops to do my work I have many friends that spend much of their time in the Union Starbucks working on homework and studying. I have also had many group meetings there to discuss group projects. It was also kind of fun to listen in on other people's conversations and then think about your own conversations you would be having with your friends if you were to met at a coffee shop. It is funny how much time people can spend talking about something so minor such as discussing what ingredients you prefer in your latte. I know many people there were very stressed because it is the second week of school and you could see from the looks on many peoples faces, and the many books and papers in front of them, that they were trying to get everything organized and figure out their first assignments and projects. I know they were feeling this stress because that is the stress I always feel the first and second weeks of school. It is really hard to get adjusted to a new semester and remember everything that you are going to have due and to be sure you get it done on time.