Starbucks Student Center Observation

I based my observation at the Starbucks at the Student Center. I chose here because I had the coffee house and Ring Road to observe. I sat at the tables outside the Starbucks, with my own coffee, facing Ring Road and started my observations. These decisions were influenced by the accessibility of the location since I do not have a way to travel elsewhere. As I arrived at the Starbucks, the restaurant was beginning to fill up with the students who had just finished class. The baristas were busy filling orders and worked to keep orders going out. As the number of people increased, the line grew in a pattern that was not discussed, but was understood. After receiving my coffee, I proceeded outside to continue my observations. I sat at a table that gave me a view of outside tables, inside the Starbucks to an extent, and Ring Road. The majority of people were wearing warm clothes, because even with the day being sunny, the wind made the day colder. The clothes ranged from casual jeans and jackets to slacks and dress shirts. The campus was in constant movement. Even during class time, people were still moving along Ring Road and in and out of the Starbucks. People were doing various tasks while walking: talking on the phone, talking to other people, and reading. Individuals were walking with food bought from

If they were by themselves, they were using electronics, mostly laptops with headphones. They were not talking or interacting with the environment and kept to themselves. If they were with someone else, they would still use electronics. Phones were the most common and there was no use of a laptop, unless the group was using it. One single student was waiting for another to discuss housing arrangements for the following school year. While he was waiting he had headphones in and was using his phone. After his potential housemate came, he stayed away from the electronics to have his