On every floor of the GSU dorms there is a space for the residents and their guests to hang out and socialize. Take the elevator up to the tenth floor, step out and to the right is a double-doorway leading to the gathering area. Hallways leading either direction to the dorm room suites. On the tenth floor there is a four-foot-tall white table, about five feet long, two feet wide. High chairs surround the table, occupied by loud teenagers. The shy boy who seems too big to be a freshman smiles bashfully as he interacts with his neighbors. He tugs on his white tee shirt and fiddles with his iPhone. Adjacent sits the star struck little Hispanic girl, dark creamy skin contrasting with the sparkle in her eyes. She stairs up at him with a wide smile. She is far from shy. She’s loud and confident. Probably only four feet tall and has to strain her neck to look up at her crush. across the room in the purple lounge seats close to the ground sits a diverse group of five chatty friends, excited from a game a Bullshit. Cards fly and everyone belts out in laughter after a friendly showdown, trying to decide if the card placed on the round, grey table was in-fact a nine. The lean boy with a blue button-up collared shirt and salmon shorts sits up, back arched, ankles crossed, and a grin across his face so wide his eyes crinkle on the exterior corners. His African American bone structure paired with mocha colored skin, pearly teeth, and bright turquoise eyes creates a strikingly unique beauty. To his left sits a stocky, pale girl in black leggings and an oversized tee shirt. She watches everyone intently, amused by their behavior. She’s more reserved but projects well when she speaks. She holds the cards close to her chest and peaks down during each turn. Her dark brown hair pulled back in a high pony tail and glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. She giggles with every challenged play. Then sits a thin pale boy with a pinkish complexion close to a dark chocolate colored girl with a strong jaw line and big eyes. His jeans are more loosely fitted while hers are painted against her skin. Finally, sits a boy who has to look up at everyone. His skin is medium brown with an ashy complexion. His hair was thick and incredibly curly. A thin beard stretched across his face and his glasses were held high on his nose.

The reason why I love the space of my room so much is that it is my own. In my room, I have my record player, all my Beatles decor, my movies, and my poetry books. Not to mention my writing desk, where all the magic happens. In my room there are no limitations. Meaning, I can be fully dressed or not clothed at all and it wouldn’t matter because I’m my only audience. Other than maybe my cats. I can light candles and sleep and have my own sense of privacy. There will never be any space comparable to the comfort that my room brings me.

As I look around the room, I notice the teacher rambling about a topic that the students have no interest in. Some students are talking among themselves while the others are doodling or starring off into space dedicating all of their attention to everything, but the lesson. I notice the desks, lined up as if they are combats about to go to war. The white board as well, hanging in the middle of the room with scribble written by the teacher that looks like lines of blood because of the red marker that he/she used. The four computers that are as old as dust and hardly ever work are off the left taking up space and seem to have no true meaning of being inside of the classroom. The behaviors shown by the not so engaged students show that they aren’t really interested in gaining true knowledge.  School is a space in which its occupants are suppose to help students gain more knowledge and teach them skills that they will use throughout life. However, it does the total opposite. This space is occupied by the occupants in the way that it should not be. 

Children sit in the back of the room, focused on their phones unaware of the knowledge around them. There’s a lady that comes early and leaves even later, she sit on the front row with her bright green hat tilted to right side. The room is bright and the temperature is cold. Many gather here on this day. Straight ahead there’s a man he speaks loud and excitedly, hyping the crowd as they clap and stomp for joy. He does a closing prayer as he exits the stage. Everyone claiming a since of rebirth and a changed creation in the lord. Soon as we leave church’s front door, we fall back into the same behaviors.

Chains rattle around the ankles of the convicted as they get off the bus in a single file line. “Atlanta Correctional Facility” reads in bold letters across the entrance of the well guarded building. With the exception of the employees, everybody in this building is in there because of a wrongdoing. A law was broken somewhere and the blame was placed on those individuals. Most are in there justly, some of them have no respect for the law whatsoever and will be back in six months after their release. Tensions are high everywhere and people are constantly on edge. Everything is controlled where they are going, even your free time. It’s not really so free anymore is it?

The sound of the chatter envelopes me as I open the freshly shined mahogany wooden doors. As I look out I see rows upon rows of blood red velvet covered pews filled with people. The people who occupy this place are made up of sinners, hypocrites, conservatives, the lost ones, and rebels. It even house the angels and demons that taunt them. These occupants are there for a reason but not just one but many. We have the sinners looking for forgiveness, the lost ones looking for self assurance, the hypocrites looking for validation, and the rebels looking to pick out every flaw. By coming to this place the occupants are ultimately seeking one thing: insurance. The insurance that one day they will go to heaven and not be damned and banished to hell. The occupants wish to be accepted and approved by others they deem holier or the perfect version of a Christian. This space is a sacred place that causes those who inhabit it to change the purpose of itself. The church should not be a museum of all the perfect people and only the good that occurred but it should be a hospital for the broken and troubled, the lost and the found. Now the space has been mutilated to resemble the perfection of Christianity therefore everything must be perfect in their eyes. So as I walk through the rows of people I remember this small detail: I’m there for a reason too.

As I walk into this large room, I see that the walls are circulated by ballet barres and the front is completely covered by mirrors. I see people as well. Many are much like me. Girls already have their hair done up in a bun, slicked back to perfection. They are dressed in leotards and tights carrying their large tote bags of all their essentials. Some girls are already inside warming up and preparing for the long, exhausting class ahead of them. The occasional boy shows up to take classes too. He too, shows up prepared for the class. As the instructor walks into the room, the students quiet down and wait attentively for he or she to begin the class. They are here to learn and progress their training in ballet.

As I look around this space I can see I’m the only one here. After the turn of  a key, I enter a place that truly is like no other. As I am the only occupant there can only be few reasons as to why I am here.To escape the society around me, to have time isolated from existence. This is how I feel when I am in my room. This is a space that I can claim possession and that standing alone is valuable. However, I also value the peace and quiet it offers. I’m able to assess everything that goes on after day after day and come up with solutions with problems I face. Without this space life surely would have been more difficult.

The atmosphere of a football game is one i am very familiar with. Football is a game that has occupants that come from nearby to even hours away to watch their favorite teams compete for one goal, to win. The occupants of these football games have a combination of emotions that range from the cheer of victory to the  heartbreaking cries from fans of the opposing team. The stands are filled with men, women, and children waving their hands and homemade signs. The cheers coming from these occupants can make it hard for you to hear, but it adds to the excitement of the game and atmosphere. Football games give a chance for friends, family and even strangers to bond over cheering their team on. Football brings out the liveliest of occupants creates an intense, fun, and lively social atmosphere.

When does the next hot game come out and what is it? If a person can’t answer that question, they probably don’t belong in a Best Buy. Teenagers, adults, children, the people there all come from varying backgrounds and have different interests, but they all have a few things in common. First and foremost, is a love and appreciation for technology and gaming. Some may be looking around to see what good deals are available, some may be working there, some may have exactly what they want in mind, but all love games and the things you play them on. They come to Best Buy to get these games, and the things they are played on. Of course, on thing many of these people have in common is that they want high quality games and systems. Studies show that preowned games at Best Buy have equal satisfaction ratings as the same games bought brand new elsewhere. So, for quality products, as soon as they come out, people go to Best Buy.