Oh, how times have changed.

I find myself wondering about a time long before the shift between my parents living in their 20s versus me in my 20s. Sometimes the ‘90s feel as if they almost never existed — just a blip in time. How did the culture change so drastically from then to the current day?

For starters, technology was easing its way into society, just enough to plant a seed, not enough to give people an option to completely stop interacting with each other.

We’ve grown comfortable with choosing interactions amongst the people we’ve already befriended. Instead of starting casual conversations with people sitting next to us, we stay inside our bubbles, never venturing outside of them.

Isolation has replaced the idea of community.

If Gen Z wants to revisit how life once was, we need to start at ground zero. Shared eye contact, visual cues such as smiles and nods, harmless casual chitchat that can lead to an exchange of contact info for future meetups or not, the basics.

Weeks ago, a discussion was broached in my English seminar about what is known as “the third space.” For those who aren’t familiar, the third space is the last category of social architectural theory. This theory focuses on creating inclusive, people-centered spaces that nurture and provide social cohesion. The first space is the home environment, the second space is the workplace and last but not least, the third space functions as a public space — for example, a coffee shop.

As my classmates filled the atmosphere with their opinions regarding third spaces, I couldn’t help but wonder if the third space is on its way to extinction.

Take a third space like the coffee shop I mentioned above. Coffee shops will not likely disappear anytime soon, but the warm and cozy interactive models we see in vintage television and film don’t seem to exist anymore. Central Perk coffeehouse, made popular through one of the most successful ‘90s sitcoms, “Friends,” embodied the third space concept.

I fear that the charming feeling of those idyllic spaces has been lost over recent decades. Today, most people who attend coffee shops are drive-through attendees only and have probably never seen the interior of the establishment they’re frequenting.

Although I have parted ways with Starbucks and opt to support local businesses instead, I remember those inexplicable vibes the millennial crowd reminisces about.

If you haven’t sparked up a rom-com-quality convo with a mysterious non-psycho stranger at your last coffeehouse visit, maybe you can try a social club.

Social clubs also act as a third space. Soho House is an example of an exclusive, private members-only club that provides a social space for relaxation and networking. Its members-only mission statement poses the question: Is it exclusive or exclusion? Should third spaces be available to everyone?

Exclusivity is nothing new; it has existed since the beginning of time. Our very own campus is an example of housing various exclusive third spaces. Whether it’s a sorority, fraternity or other extracurricular club or organization, private third spaces have maintained the right to self-govern and define who’s welcome in their institutions.

I personally believe it’s more interesting when third spaces are a melting pot of people from diverse walks of life. Maybe that’s why pickleball has become such a phenomenon over the last few years. People have flocked to this third space because it’s inviting to all people regardless of age, race, gender, fitness level or socioeconomic status.

While the most popular third spaces may very well be on their way to extinction, there’s an evolution happening now. Pickleball, group fitness, running clubs, in-person social-media driven meetups and watch parties are on the rise.

So yes, there will most likely always be exclusive members-only spaces where fitting the same mold, conforming to the same standards and existing within the same financial brackets are prerequisites.

Not exactly my type of hype.

Honestly, a running club is also not my type of hype, despite the great things I’ve heard from my TikTok girlies; that’s still a lot of cardio. I’m more of a tennis girl, not necessarily pickleball, but I can really get behind a watch party full of an eclectic, interesting crowd and yummy snacks.

Try inserting yourself into third spaces to alleviate social anxiety and conquer loneliness simultaneously while creating community. All good things. All necessary things for balance. There are so many good times to be had, new hobbies to explore and new people to connect with.