The Third Place

“You can find me in the club, bottle full of bub’, Mama, I got what you need if you need to feel a buzz.” — 50 Cent, “In Da Club”

I came across a new term the other day, “The Third Place”, which psychologists use to refer to places that are outside of the home (first place), and work, (second place).

Apparently Covid really killed the the third place and blurred the lines between the first and second, with how everyone more or less had to work from home and the outside world was all but shutdown. But as the world continues to revert to its old ways, tech bros like me seem to have remained stuck in the mud with the blurred places.

Not that I particularly mind it. Moving forward my want to go back to the old ways is pretty slim. Particularly with needing a second place in general. I also don’t think I have the capacity or want to ever go back into the office, but I don’t think I truly appreciated my lack of a third place, as really being all that big of a deal.

My wife who brought the term to my attention, highlighted just how much more social and connected I’ve been lately. She even considered it the most social she’s seen well, since as long as we’ve been together. Here I am reconnecting with all the different social bubbles I’ve long relegated to Facebook and Instagram contacts, but oddly taking up golf has changed that. I’ve essentially found my primary third place between the golf course and sim.

I like to think that my online world and time in and around social media, online gaming, and streaming constituted as a kind of third place, but many professionals would likely lean towards that not being one of socially healthiest of places.

I’ve long leaned towards being all kinds of introverted so I never considered the lack of a third place, as something missing from my life, but more and more I actually enjoy getting out and doing something and having a common thread to share and even grind towards has been a nice little change of pace.

Whether or not this remains a passing fad in my life or something I genuinely stick with is yet to be seen, I do like to think at this age and rate it has no choice but to be. It also seems like one of those better late than never type scenarios.

Anyways, curious what other new third places, are in store for me or if I find my way back to some other previous ones.