Some college students enjoy doing homework and hanging out
with friends at coffee shops and the library. Due to the large number of
students in Gainesville, these places are very busy at certain times of the
day. It is frustrating when a student walks, drives, scoots, busses or cycles
to these places and finds out there are no open seats. It wastes time that could
be used to study and do homework.
The who: People trying to find somewhere to do homework
The what: There’s no seating at certain times of the day
The why: People are unable to know how busy a place is until
they get there
Testing the who: This can affect people trying to eat out
and have to call ahead to see how busy a restaurant is, anyone who is going to
a coffee shop not just college students
Testing the what: Popular coffee shops and popular
libraries, this isn’t a problem at all times of the day, or all times of the
year, it is more likely to be full during finals and usually empty during
summer
Testing the why: Not everyone has a friend at the place and
can ask how busy it is, businesses want people to come in and buy something
even if they don’t have somewhere to sit, libraries don’t make a profit so they
don’t care if someone can’t find a seat
I found that it depended on the student whether they
experienced this problem or not. Some have avoided the library and just did
work at their dorm or apartment. When asked if they could know if there were
empty tables, they said they would probably go more often. I found that people
encountered this problem most, when they were trying to find a table to sit
with friends. Most of the people I interviewed voiced their unhappiness with
the time they spent trying to find a place to sit or getting to a coffee shop
and it being full. One person I interviewed enjoys going to a coffee shop that
requires her to find parking and even pay for it sometimes. She explained how
there are times of the day when it’s very busy and she’s had to stand there
waiting for someone to get up. I found it depended on the circumstance. If
someone had an exam they needed to study for, time wasted trying to find a seat
becomes more important.
Hi Meg, I love this opportunity because it’s incredibly relatable as a student at this University. I think you were clear in the who, what, and why and I appreciate how the subject matter is so simple. The frustration is real, and I think a change like this would make a big difference in a lot of students lives. Good job!
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