Coffee Shop Observation Essay

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When I started thinking of where to go to immerse myself in an unfamiliar culture, I knew a coffee shop would be a good place. I do not typically spend my free time in a coffee shop because I do not often drink coffee. I went to Court Street Coffee on a Friday evening, around five o’clock for my first day of observations. Since I am a freshman and have not really gone out and tried every trendy new place on court street, I had never been in there before. There was a couch to the left when you walk in and two chairs with an ottoman in the middle to the right. I sat in one of the chairs on the far side of the ottoman to get a good view of the couch, where I figured I could watch a variety of customers. I set my stuff down and went to order a …show more content…

I had stereotypes on who frequented coffee shops which were the farthest from true. When I first went to Court Street Coffee, I was uncomfortable. I thought that everyone in that room knew that I had never been there before and I was out of place. I took in my surroundings and went to the back of the order line. I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to order so I stuck with something simple that I knew I would like, a smoothie. I sat down and began my observations. After I had visited Court Street Coffee a few times, I felt more comfortable and I realized I was becoming a part of their culture in a way. I would go straight to the line, order quickly and efficiently, saying everything that she might have to ask in order to get the order right. I knew where I wanted to sit and I was slightly disappointed when I was not able to sit in my chair in the corner. The more I analyzed those around me, I felt the need to analyze myself, and how my behavior changed from the first time I walked into the coffee house. I began to enjoy the atmosphere that I had a judgmental view on before coming. I had become comfortable in the coffee house and even after I thought I got enough observations for the visit, I would stay and work on other homework. I noticed that although this was not my normal setting or my normal reality, I was able to figure out how to fit in

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