If you go to UCSB, you have probably noticed that Isla Vista is severely lacking in comfy coffee shops to sit down and lock in at. Their issues range from creepy managers, bad coffee (or my favorite, chai), a general lack of seating, and astonishing prices, making it almost impossible to find a place close to campus to do some homework that isn’t the library or your home. Personally, sitting at the desk in my dorm to do work has never really been productive for me and the library is ALWAYS crowded and smells weird (I will die on this hill!), making the situation nothing short of dire.
I spent a good part of last quarter wandering around IV trying to find a place that made sense to go to when I needed to just sit down and get stuff done. The best option I found was Caje, but even then, the only available seating was always outside and it was never not insanely crowded. This quarter, I decided to find a place where I could just chill and work on what needed to be done, preferably without hearing “honey lavender latte for Serina” at maximum volume every three to five minutes.
Although I was originally hopeful that I could find somewhere on campus that would work, I tried the SRB and random office buildings until I decided the vibe just wasn’t right. Finally, at the behest of my friend who goes to Westmont College and spends much of her time downtown, I embarked on the forty minute trek by bus to her favorite coffee shop. And have since gone every Friday through Sunday.
My FavoritesÂ
There is something to be said about the magic that a good chai, amazing music, and a cute barista can do for productivity. At Keira’s favorite place, Handlebar, they have $5 bagels, good coffee, ceremonial grade matcha, a dazzling array of baked goods, and, of course, a really nice iced chai that is not too sweet and just spicy enough. They give ceramic mugs and glass cups if you say “for here” and always have the best playlist on. They have a location right off of State Street in downtown Santa Barbara, and one on De La Vina Street. If you are transportation-ally challenged like me, I would recommend taking the 24X and making your way to the one in downtown. If you do, I highly recommend their almond croissant (I swear it makes you study better).
Even though I am a Handlebar stan and have been there at least three days of the week for the past month and a half, there are a few other places outside of IV that are great for locking in. When I am not single-handedly keeping Handlebar in business, I also really like Lighthouse Coffee, DART, and the Pura Vida Coffee Society. When I have the time, I like to take the bus to the Lighthouse Coffee on Turnpike Road, about halfway between UCSB and downtown because it has a ton of both indoor and outdoor seating, even when it’s busy. This location is also right by KIN Bakeshop for those of you who are matcha fiends!
Is The Trip Worth It?
In the beginning, I was unsure if the comically long bus ride to these places was worth it. It’s not like there is nowhere to study in the IV area or on campus, and I wondered if spending an hour round trip on a bus was making me less productive than just sucking it up and doing homework on a random floor of the HSSB.
After a few days though, I realized that I was exponentially more productive in a place that wasn’t automatically associated with UCSB, my dorm, or my immediate surroundings at school. Not only are these downtown and Goleta coffee shops more comfortable, but the ambiance is less stressful, the people there are so cool and chill, and there are always spaces available to do work.Â
I am a firm believer in spending time away from a place that you are comfortable in, discovering new spots, and getting to know the area that you live in. Trying out these new coffee shops allowed me to tick all three of those boxes, as well as leave a majority of my school concerns, social drama, and other annoying thoughts at home and fully commit to what I was trying to get done. The distance and the newness allowed me to stop thinking about the day-to-day annoyances because either I was in a completely new place, or a place that I only associated with doing my work and spending my breaks talking with the awesome people who work there.Â
If you need an escape, and a good cup of something yummy while you work, try expanding your horizons — even if that means the radical act of hopping on a bus. Believe it or not, I am writing this from the Handlebar downtown, sipping on my iced chai and eating my everything bagel. Speaking of, I have to go catch my bus back! Check it out, lock-in, and maybe I’ll see you this weekend!