Pump it up: The use of music at coffee shops
At the coffee shop I work at we don’t play music in any form, which is very different from most coffee shops in the US. I tend to appreciate this because if I am in a particular mood I have the option of singing while making drinks or completing the latest crossword puzzle. In comparison, Starbucks always has music on. Usually I appreciate their selection or I can ignore it as background music. The other day I ventured to Espresso Royale in order to complete a paper and the experience was nothing short of horrible.
I suppose if I had been in the mood for angry rock music it would have been the perfect location. This, of course, wasn’t the case. The building was packed with college students, like myself, in between studying and writing final papers. I had trouble finding a seat and even then I was stuck between a sea of bodies huddled over laptops and textbooks. But what really stood out to me was the music, the angry rock music blaring at top volume. I felt like I was at a concert rather than at a coffee shop.
“Excuse me, but can you turn down that racket?” I wanted to ask the barista. I didn’t get around to saying this because if I moved I feared my seat would be taken, or I would miss the end of the enlightening conversation between the two male students sitting near me.
“Dude, she’s 27? She’s soo old. You’re gross.”
“I don’t care. If she’s hot, I’d do her.”
“Dude, I bet you’d do a 40 year old. You’d so do a 40 year old. That’s disgusting.”
This conversation lasted for about a half hour. The two went back and forth, debating if a 27 year old girl was too old and if one of them was in fact disgusting. It was a very passionate debate, which made it even more difficult for me to focus on my paper. I kept thinking the debate would end or they would stumble upon a new topic for conversation but no, they recited the same material over and over and over. The rock music did not lessen, either, and I eventually gave up any idea I had of quiet concentration. I returned to my apartment, making a mental note that ERC is not a worthwhile study location.
I suppose if I had been in the mood for angry rock music it would have been the perfect location. This, of course, wasn’t the case. The building was packed with college students, like myself, in between studying and writing final papers. I had trouble finding a seat and even then I was stuck between a sea of bodies huddled over laptops and textbooks. But what really stood out to me was the music, the angry rock music blaring at top volume. I felt like I was at a concert rather than at a coffee shop.
“Excuse me, but can you turn down that racket?” I wanted to ask the barista. I didn’t get around to saying this because if I moved I feared my seat would be taken, or I would miss the end of the enlightening conversation between the two male students sitting near me.
“Dude, she’s 27? She’s soo old. You’re gross.”
“I don’t care. If she’s hot, I’d do her.”
“Dude, I bet you’d do a 40 year old. You’d so do a 40 year old. That’s disgusting.”
This conversation lasted for about a half hour. The two went back and forth, debating if a 27 year old girl was too old and if one of them was in fact disgusting. It was a very passionate debate, which made it even more difficult for me to focus on my paper. I kept thinking the debate would end or they would stumble upon a new topic for conversation but no, they recited the same material over and over and over. The rock music did not lessen, either, and I eventually gave up any idea I had of quiet concentration. I returned to my apartment, making a mental note that ERC is not a worthwhile study location.
Labels: coffee shop, daily, ERC
4 Comments:
:'(
/is 27
What?
You don't do crossword puzzles!
I only do crossword puzzles at work during slow times. I also do yoga when it is slow at work.
(Just kidding on the yoga part.)
I'm 25 and I don't feel all that old.
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