New York by Night

Because it was Spring Weekend on campus, the time I could spend in Manhattan was somewhat short on Friday night since I wanted to get back to Rose Hill to catch Hip Hop Under the Stars. I needed to figure out something to do that could be quick, inexpensive and suitable to do by myself since my plans were last minute. What helped me decide? The dream I had the night before.

Let me explain: I am a Starbucks fanatic. I love the drinks, the food, the atmosphere – everything. I especially love their frappuccinos, apparently so much that I had a dream on Thursday night focused entirely on the mission to get one. So of course I woke up with a monstrous frappuccino craving on Friday morning that I knew would not go away until I had one, but then I thought, “Wait, I’m going to take a half hour ride on the D train just for a frappuccino, just to sit there and do nothing?” This was followed by my next thought: “Why the heck not? Does every activity have to have a purpose? And if so, then why can’t pure relaxation be my purpose?” Five minutes later I convinced myself to do it, tossed my keys in my purse and was on my way. 

I walked into the Starbucks on 58th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues and was surprised to find that it was not too busy at the moment. I was relieved for the baristas because they always seem to be working so hard, as if they are making rocket ship fuel instead of caramel macchiatos. Even when I go there before my internship on Tuesday and Friday mornings when the place is packed beyond belief, everyone working seems genuinely nice despite the fact that milk has just been spilled on them, a customer changed her order about three and a half times before deciding she didn’t want anything anyway and about a million people have been asking, “Do you have a bathroom?”

A couple of minutes later I was handed my tall, light, java chip frap with whip, and if my five senses could talk, I knew they would have been thanking me at that point. I grabbed a table and sat down. Using my straw to scoop up some of the whipped cream to taste it like I usually do, I managed to get chocolate syrup on my outfit, also like I usually do. (Clearly I have yet to learn my lesson on this one.) I took a sip of the frap; they made it just how I like it: frothy (sometimes other locations don’t blend it all the way so there’s massive chunks of ice in it), rich in flavor and with a ton of whipped cream and syrup on it. I swear, if only “frappuccino connoisseur” were a profession.

Then it was time for me to do what I went there for: absolutely nothing. When I say this, I don’t mean I tried to stop the thought process, for that would be impossible; I’m talking about how I just sat there quietly and had the chance to catch up with these thoughts, as well as to observe my surroundings. 

Minus workoholics, I would venture to assume that for most of us, it is pretty easy (not to mention heavenly) to sit back and breathe when we actually have a moment. Unwinding, however, becomes harder when you are in public. It becomes even more difficult when you are in New York City, where people are always expected to be busy, and if you look like you are not, it is assumed there must be something wrong with you. 

Even Starbucks, which is supposed to be like home base in the constant NYC game of capture the flag, a place where people can stop everything for a minute or two, has become another site for people to try to do more than one thing at once. I looked around the room; some were talking on their cell phones, some were reading, others were pretending to talk on their cell phones, some were pretending to be reading. It is all too funny to me how uncomfortable people (including myself, sometimes) seem to be with publicly sitting alone and appearing to be unoccupied.

Then I looked over at a man sitting at a table in the corner across from me. He was probably in his late 40s or early 50s, big-bellied and dressed in a suit, so I guessed he went there from work. He was looking out the window and watching passersby while sipping his coffee slowly, savoring every drop as if it was either his first or last cup of coffee in life. Wait a second, could it be that this man was doing nothing? With no phone, no newspaper and no laptop to distract him, it sure seemed that way. Wow, so that is what nothing looks like. His facial expression was hard to read; I couldn’t tell if he just had the worst day at work and needed a break so badly that without one his head might explode, or if he had a nice day at work and just wanted to stop and smell the java. Either way, I admired him for giving himself this break. 

All in all, I really enjoyed the chance to be still for a couple of hours, especially knowing I was going to write about it; it forced me to be observant of my surroundings in a way that I never would have if I had just sat there trying to look busy while playing with my phone. I left feeling rejuvenated, creative, at peace with my thoughts, and, most of all, grateful that I had the opportunity to bask in the lovely glow of nothingness. Obviously, you do not need a Starbucks to enjoy this; we all have a place that makes us feel calmer and happier after spending some time there.

As we head into summer, I urge everyone to find this place for him or herself, whether it’s the beach, a park bench or your own bedroom. It’s easy to let the madness of today’s world consume you. Don’t forget that you need to stop to refuel a car to keep it running; know that it is okay and in fact necessary to do the same for your body, mind and soul as much as possible.