These three things can make it easier to find community offline

There will be no Post Grad newsletter next week. Look for us in your inbox again on Dec. 27.?

This week marks the end of my Third Spaces Project, where I set out for more places, apart from homes and offices, to find and build community. It’s been a wonderful experience of intentionally making new friends and gaining a deeper appreciation for my Midwest hometown. Many of you got involved along the way — either by trying the challenge for yourselves, sending advice or suggesting your favorite tried-and-true third spaces for me to explore.

In my previous update, I wrote about how doing a Third Spaces Challenge can help post-grads exercise atrophied social muscles. I talked about how the challenge has changed me: I’ve become better at asking questions, more confident when talking to strangers and even physically stronger (because of all the barre and rock climbing!).

When I began the challenge, my goal was to investigate what barriers, if any, were preventing recent graduates from finding and establishing their own third spaces. Through countless conversations with other recent graduates struggling to build community in new cities, as well as a few failed “third-spacing” attempts of my own, I’ve found three key structural barriers that communities should consider when thinking about how to create and improve third spaces.

This is an excerpt of Renee Yaseen’s Post Grad column. Read the rest for free on washingtonpost.com.

You can also follow Renee on Instagram at @washpostgrad.

What are your best tips for beating the winter blues?

“I started taking vitamin D and magnesium. Lots of people are deficient in these things but don’t get bloodwork done often enough to find out whether they are. I also use a sunrise alarm clock (I use the Hatch Restore, though I’ve heard there are better ones) and it really helps me wake up easier with the extra light it brings to the room.” — Samantha L., 24

“In terms of beating the winter blues, we’re snowbirds. When we can’t be in warmer weather, I really love cross country skiing. It’s out in nature and it warms you up quickly.” — Susan S., 71

Below are two reader responses to our question of the week. To get our complete collection of reader responses each week, sign up to get the full edition of Post Grad.

What I’m Reading?

?? Danielle Abril has nine etiquette tips to help you navigate modern meetings in the era of hybrid work. (Tip #1: Always wear pants!)?

?? What do all those sections on your pay stub mean? Michelle Singletary breaks it down.?

?? Alexi McCammond explains how the Telfar Shopping Bag helped her embrace her racial identity.?

?? From the Wall Street Journal: The biggest winners and losers from the work-from-home revolution.?

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