Amenity (noun): an agreeable way or manner.
“It’s not quite an essential amenity or legally required to open, but it’s nice. It makes customers happy, and make your space feel more like their space” Christopher Mele
To summary amenity, it can be described as a way of saying not necessary. It is not necessary for the coffee shop to provided hotspot for the customers.
When you wake up, knowing that you have school, what gives you the drive to actually get up? Or maybe you don’t have that drive and your conscience seems to play mind games on you and your forced to go. Well whether you believe it or not, on our way to school there’s always something that could suddenly take place, something you see or something you could do to better your day. Maybe it’s choosing a route with a fetching view of vibrant leaves, sunny skies which might juxtapose the same energetic feelings to you on your way to your destination. The route that you take can also be silent, and you’re able to capture locations that held sentimental feelings, and valued parts of your new york. Not only that but it might be a not so appealing route that leads you to your favorite bacon egg & cheese and arizona that you’ve been craving for. And don’t be surprised if it’s just your favorite hip/ r&b, reggae, jazz, or funk music that converts your whole mood because that’s possible as well.In my opinion, your mood will only change due to your interest and what’s significant to you, which is why I feel my route that passes by the Eastern District of New York (by cadman plaza) serves as a good example.
My typical traveling routine is to take the 3 and 4 train and get off at Borough Hall train station. I would then walk alongside Adam street, on to Brooklyn Blvd and enter in on adam street. When taking that route I wasn’t too content seeing the christopher columbus statue due to the fact that I don’t view him as a heroic figure. And even when I couldn’t see him, I was constantly reminded that I was walking through the columbus park which did not bring forth the best attitude in me. And let’s not mention the homeless people near columbus park. Whenever I pass by, I feel obligated to compensate them, and with my large appetite that’s never the best selfish choice on my end. Also when traveling to school by my regular routine, I’m always dissatisfied with the crowd by the food stand on Adam street. What destroy my day the most is not being able to buy a single donut because of the lengthy line and fearing to blend in with loud middle school kids nearby.However for this project, I took a slightly different approach. Instead of walking down adam street, when I exit the train station I walked vertically towards the courthouse on cadman Plaza, a very special part of my new york.. And at that moment where I was reminded that the more knowledge I acquire, the more opportunities will be open for me. Not only that, but i’ll be reminded that my voice can now be heard. Im happily heading down tillary street now, with tears of joy rolling down my cheeks. I will now reach for my headphones and iphone and listen to some hip hop or rap music to release myself out of that sentimental mood before entering the assigned room in 300 jay street.
My mom as well as myself had recently became citizens. Even though I wasn’t the one who took the test, I was extremely glad to know that I lend a helping hand by studying with her and using my prior knowledge to explain certain things to her. Walking by the courthouse gives me a sense of purpose. It gives me the motivation to not only get to school, but to go in ready and willing to acquire all that would be taught. When walking this route, I completely forget about the christopher columbus statue that I saw a few minutes ago. I seem to capture a image of the Henry Ward Beecher statue (that I would have passed just before heading towards the cadman plaza). My mind begins to wander as I think about how henry who was not only an abolitionist but a supporter of women’s suffrage ( the right to vote) help to get many of us where we are today. You could imagine the warm hearted mood I must be in at this point. Just to know that me and my mom had recently received our citizenship, also means that we will now be able to exercise our right and know that Henry Beecher’s support wasn’t in vein. As for other people who were born in the United states and had already had these opportunities open to you, this walk could be beneficial to you as well. For example, Just like Henry Beecher you could support or go against certain political decisions in hopes of truly bettering the lives of all people equally. Not only that but you might be able to witness newly citizens and see that you must not take your opportunities for granted because many people like myself had always wish for these opportunities.
Some might say that my persuading argument is a little too personal and one sided, in the sense that the courthouse holds a lot of different meetings, and might bring forth a lot of melancholy feelings for other individuals who might have been in trouble with the law. Well even though their not entirely wrong, the courthouse can still be seen as an inspiring area because it gives you a sense of what not do. If you are someone or know of people who had a different interaction with court houses then it can be seen as an example to you. According to the article “ Take a trip down memory lane- memories are good for your health” if it weren’t already obvious, passing by memories is in fact a positive thing.The article states that when people “dwell wistfully on their past” they “ become more optimistic” and “inspired about the future”.. This simply means that whatever you have dealt with in the past can change you for the better in the future. This statement is related to traveling the courthouse route even if u might have had negative interactions with it in the past, because it will make much more prepared for future encounters. Think about if you or your loved ones were abused or harmed in any way, the courthouse may the final destination where you get justice. Therefore courthouses might not be such a negative vibe.. Travelling by Eastern District of New York by Cadman Plaza might not be such a bad option after all. For others who may think it’s unecessary to take new routes you are sadly mistaken. According to the article “Why you should visit a new route”, “It essentially puts you — neurally — in the same position as when you were a child,”. This in which supports the fact that you might feel stressed out on your way to school, but walking a new route or different area re -opens your “kid abilities” and permits you to see things from a more creative view.
While some memories are meant to be just that, it can be very significant to travel a route from your pass or area that will motivate you. For most of us, on a way to school might be a very nagging, time of our day. Therefore to release yourself out of such stressful mood, it’s best to walk a route that gives you your favorite “ food, coffee, or just a place that puts u in a calm sentimental mood, for example eastern district courthouse, you will be sure to have a better day.
Throughout this semester, my glossary has been somewhat advantageous in the development of my vocabulary, although there have been some challenging along the way. I certainly possess a deeper understanding of some words that were particularly meaningful to me. I need to develop my vocabulary because it can help in my academics and my career. It can also use some improvement over time. Throughout the year I’d have to look through articles and find words that may have been a challenge to me or I wanted a deeper meaning to it, to use for my glossary. Once I’ve found them, I’d define them by looking for where it came from and the context it was used in. Afterwords Id look up their true meanings on google for a simpler meaning and the Merriam-Webster dictionary for a more academic meaning. However when reading through the articles I find context to be difficult for me because it’s not easy for me to understand a particular word with the rest of the statement. Not using these words throughout the year may have been a detriment to my learning experience. In rare occasions I can assume a meaning to a word based off of its context. I derive benefit from looking up definitions because it helps me build upon my vocabulary skills. In that, I improve on my researching skills, along with my analytical skills. Perhaps in the future, writing sentences using glossary words will enhance my ability to remember words and their definitions because I have done it enough times in my previous English class. Practical experience using words to express ideas that are relevant to my life makes it more like to remember.
When making the trip to and from school, I usually go with the route that gets me from the train station to the school building as quickly as possible. The fast route however, is somewhat stressful. When you take into consideration the clusters of people, the constant chatter, the sound of honking cars, and an oddly overwhelming need to walk as quickly as those around you, you’ll soon realize how this short five minute walk can lead to increased levels of stress and a lack of focus in the classroom. I happen to be an anxious person, so having to deal with a hectic speed walking crowd every morning isn’t exactly desirable. My heart starts pounding, my palms start sweating, and my mind begins to race. Anxiety is the feeling of excessive worry – something I experience daily as a result. When I’m walking with that large group in Jay Street, my anxiety causes me to focus on every sound and move that is being made around me which muddles my mind quite a bit. Though the walk only lasts about 5 minutes or so, the anxiety doesn’t end immediately after the walk. I then have to take an elevator that may or may not be crowded because they’re generally faster than taking the stairs, and I don’t do well with crowds.
I found a new route that – though very time consuming compared to my established route – is leagues ahead of my current route in how relaxing it can be. This new route takes me through Columbus Park which has a very wide walkway where people can sit on benches on either side and simply relax, which is a heavy influence for how I feel while I walk through that park. But unless it’s lunchtime the park is empty and I can stroll through without a care in the world. This route allows me to enter on Adam’s street which grants me access to the Atrium building which then allows me to access the stairs that is seldom used. And considering the fact that I’d only be taking this route if I have time to spare, I wouldn’t have to rush up any stairs on my way to class.
Being left with a jumbled mind after taking my usual route leads to a state of disarray in my notebooks and the quality of notes that I take. The Attention Restoration Theory (ART) – introduced by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan (professors of psychology at the University of Michigan) – states that being in nature or nature-based environments increases cognitive function. This boost in cognitive ability – especially in the case of early morning classes can be the difference between a pass or a fail on an exam. Not only does nature increase mental output, but it can also act as a form of stress relief. So for students who have early morning exams, a walk through nature is not only aesthetically pleasing, but is beneficial in terms of performance.
A study done by Henk Staats and Terry Hartig (professors of psychology at Leiden University and Uppsala University, respectively) found that a walk through nature left subjects who had been mentally fatigued with a considerably positive outlook. Interestingly enough however, those who weren’t mentally fatigued at the start of the nature walk didn’t experience much of a change (for better or for worse) by the end of it. This only feeds into the idea that taking a walk through nature when stressed is more beneficial than when in any other state of mind.
While taking a quiet, relaxing walk through nature may seem to be something you’d do unaccompanied, there is evidence to suggest that nature walks with a group can be even more beneficial – and for longer periods of time. A study done by the University of Michigan and Edge Hill University in England found that walking in groups resulted in less depressive moods. The professors who conducted this experiment recommend taking short but frequent walks through nature to really see benefits. When on the subject of how forming a habit of walking through nature affected those in the study, lead author Sara Warber said this:
“After 13 weeks, those who walked at least once a week experienced positive emotions and less stress”
Warber and her co-authors recommend walking through nature at least 3 times a week. They also agreed that by taking short but frequent walks not only will people notice a decline in their stress levels, but they will also have an increase in overall positive emotions.
The benefits of nature are based on empirical evidence that can be vetted and verified by any and everyone. Nature can benefit more than just students with its ability to brighten moods and bring forth mental clarity, which is something that everyone could and should make use of.
Works Cited:
Kaplan, Stephen. “The Restorative Benefits of Nature: Toward an Integrative Framework.”Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 15, no. 3, 1995, pp. 169–182., doi:10.1016/0272-4944(95)90001-2.
Marselle, Melissa, et al. “Walking for Well-Being: Are Group Walks in Certain Types of Natural Environments Better for Well-Being than Group Walks in Urban Environments?” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 10, no. 11, 2013, pp. 5603–5628., doi:10.3390/ijerph10115603
Van den Berg, Agnes E., Terry Hartig, and Henk Staats. “Preference for nature in urbanized societies: Stress, restoration, and the pursuit of sustainability.” Journal of social issues 63.1 (2007): 79-96.
I enjoyed doing the glossary project throughout the semester because not only did it help me understand certain texts that we read in class better but it also help me strengthen my vocabulary. Me being the person I am , I love to replace regular everyday words with strong words that you don’t hear too often. For example “drab”, I use that word to describe something boring or something that doesn’t really interest me. Some of these words I actually heard before but I still never understood the actual meaning and how to use it in a sentence. Like the word activist. I always assumed it just meant somebody who takes part in politics. But no it actually means a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change. Well I wasn’t entirely wrong but now I know what it truly means. This is the first English class that I’ve been in that has done something like this and I can truly say that this will help me in the long run. Looking at my fellow colleagues definitions as well will certainty help, even if we have the same words, their definitions could be a different version of the word. I would definitely recommend this other than a thesaurus.
In my opinion after a while I felt like I kept writing each word the same way so I lost interest in doing the glossary. I will research the word but don’t post it. However, this helped me willingly want to learn new words. I became interested in wanting to search words up and try to understand the content its being used in. I liked the fact that the words were due at the end of the semester so if you are a person that struggle with time management you have enough time to complete it. You also get to see those that chose the same word and how they understood it and learn from everyone’s mistakes. Therefore, this was useful.
Posited (Verb)- Â to assume or affirm the existence of.
The content in which the word was used is, “a 2015 thesis by Rose K. Pozos about the “urban sociability” of coffee shops posited that sitting alone with a laptop in a café was not nnecessarily antisocial.”
Article: Coffee Shop Skip Wi-Fi to Encourage Customers to Actually Talk.
Therefore, she is saying that coffee shops assume sitting unaccompanied with a laptop in a café is not necessarily antisocial.
Din (noun)- A loud continued noise.
The content in which the word is being used in is, “He said he measured hi success by the din of his shop.”
Article: Coffee Shop Skip Wi-Fi to Encourage Customers to Actually Talk
According to merriam-webster.com, the word basically means continuous noise. Therefore, the speaker measures his success by noise extent.
Alienating(verb)- To cause (someone) to feel that she or he no longer belongs in a group, society, etc.
The content in which the word is being used is, “While HotBlack is not the first café to withhold Wi-Fi from the public, industry experts said such shops are in the minority and risk alienating customers.”
Article: Coffee Shop Skip Wi-Fi to Encourage Customers to Actually Talk.
With my encounter with the word alienating I thought the word meant to separate the customers from people who want to go to the café for Wi-Fi from those who want to socialize. But, after doing research on merriam-webster.com the definition in two words are to feel unwanted. The speaker did not want anyone to feel unwanted based on no Wi-Fi.
Conviviality (adjective)- Relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company.
The content the word was used in is, “To promote conviviality, other shops have adopted a no Wi-Fi policy and gone a step further:”
Article: Coffee Shops Skip Wi-Fi to Encourage Customers to Actually Talk.
When I encountered this word, I tried using context clues but was unable to come up with a definition. So, I searched the word up on merriam-webster.com. In a more basic definition for the word conviviality means being friendly. Therefore, the writer was stating that he’s trying to promote a friendly environment.
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