Think about your favorite go-to place where you find it okay to go to, even when you’re just by yourself. Let it be a coffee shop, a bookstore, your school library, wherever you wish it to be. Most of us – if not all of us – have that place where we feel most comfortable, a place that gives us that “home-away-from-home” feel. Thought of a particular place yet? While you’re at it, here’s mine.
When I moved to Cagayan de Oro, at first my route would just be home – school, school – home, again and again, probably because I wasn’t sure where I could go, or because I was afraid I couldn’t catch a ride home since I just had to commute. Fast forward to my second semester, I told my brother I wanted to try a drink from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf since I never tried buying one. When I first came in, my eyes were everywhere; from the numerous pastries & drinks they had to offer, to the whole coffee shop itself. I felt at ease inside, and the staff was very friendly, too. I wasn’t really the caffeine-type of person, so I got the non-coffee Ice Blended. I enjoyed the drink and told myself I’d come back. Since then, I’d go to The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf whenever I had extra time (and money). I also enjoy reading in the store because people weren’t loud, and the music they played wasn’t disturbing.
Having a happy place actually helped me a lot, especially now that I’m starting to live alone in such a big city. I’ve been to many cafés here, butThe Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf will always have a special place in my heart. I’ve written a lot in the store and I also get a lot of ideas while I’m enjoying my drink. I also get to de-stress whenever I feel like I’m under a lot of pressure.
To you reading this, find your happy place too. I know it shouldn’t take a certain place to feel & be happy, but we all have our preferences, and this one’s mine. Explore, you might find someplace new; someplace that will also make you feel the way I feel about my happy place.