College is very important if one wants to build a higher level of knowledge to benefit one’s future. Higher education should help you develop both professional and personal skills and prepare you not just for a job but for a career. It can be a challenging environment for students; everyone also needs breaks. Social lives are just as important as school. Hanging out with friends and putting school aside every now and then is healthy. The mind needs breaks just like bodies need sleep. To maintain mental health and not get burnt out, it is important to set the books aside, maybe get spruced up and go out for the night. It is earned and deserved. One could even just wait until class is over and just start walking, preferably with a group. Some people may need ideas on where to go or what to do even just for a short getaway from class. So where do students go to socialize and relax?
Shawnee State sophomore Faith Jamison, who commutes to campus, said that after class and when she is tired and doesn’t want to go too far, she heads to the Clark Memorial Library or the Starbucks (Smith Coffee House) in the University Center. Sometimes she needs a small break before heading home. For her, the library is “one of the best spots on campus to get some peace and quiet.” As for our coffee shop on campus, she said, “I like the atmosphere, so I might go there more often.”
Shawnee State senior Shay Boldman, who is a part-time student, said she enjoys getting coffee at The Lofts, an coffee shop located near campus at 842 Gallia St. She is not in Portsmouth often but loves to get coffee with friends after classes to catch up. The Lofts recently closed, but there are still plenty of other places on and around campus for students to unwind, including The Landing, another coffee shop located at 603 2nd St.
