Living & Arts

Paces Cafe brings social life to the weekdays

In print | March 19, 2009

Come out of hibernation, McCabe dwellers! In light of the imminent springtime, and all the hormones and happiness that warmer weather brings, I would like to call for more weeknight socializing at Swarthmore. Because let’s face it: Thursday-through-Saturday fun just isn’t enough. For too long, many a Swattie has depended solely on weekends for any type of amusement, spending their weeknights holed up in a library or dorm room, enduring the unbearable cycle of eat, sleep, study in utter solitude. True, many of us know how to have our fun once the weekend rolls around — but is this life of extremism healthy? Is it good for us to spend our weekends furiously enjoying ourselves, either getting trashed and/or baked, or else running all over trying to see movies, events and friends (or whatever it is that sober people do), only to then shut ourselves up in a highly disciplined hellhole of academia for the rest of the week?

I’m not so sure that it is. While I would argue that a life of work hard, play hard is a lot better than the alternative at Swarthmore, which seems to be work hard and then work harder, I think that a little bit of balance would be much healthier. If you’re lucky enough to live on a hall that is actually social, then you might find solace in some wholesome, mushy-gushy bonding with your neighbors — but not everyone is so lucky. Then what to do? Before taking a lonesome study break where you get something involving powdered cheese from a vending machine and watch a TV show on your laptop in your sweatpants, think again. Why not go to Paces Café, where the aromas of smoke and nachos are sure to be a welcome respite from your mental toils?

It is more than a little pathetic that the majority of campus activities seem to take place in a single venue. But once you get over the fact that you are now eating off the table that someone danced on at Pub Nite, which rests on the floor that someone puked on at a Paces party, our student-run café is actually a really pleasant alternative to too many nights spent in McCabe. The quality of the food has recently risen immensely, providing late night snackers with tantalizing gourmet desserts and standards like the ever-amazing nachos. The music is usually quite good, especially when student jazz groups play live concerts there, and the atmosphere is always friendly and laid back. People who complain that the service is a bit too laid back or the prices are too high, clearly need to relax — honestly, you could never get food that good for as cheap in the real world. Stop being spoiled by the low cost of living at Swarthmore (gigantic tuition aside) and get over yourself. Also, did I mention there are nachos? Not nacho bar nachos, REAL nachos.

The atmosphere of Paces is much like that of a trendy coffeehouse, albeit a bit dirtier; the vibe is very intellectual-chic, perfect for brooding and smoking. Personally, I enjoy wearing dark colors and sitting in a corner reading poetry. I really should get a beret. But don’t confuse the proliferation of angsty smokers with pretension — both the employees and regular clientele are incredibly welcoming and friendly. I swear I’m not biased by the fact that I work there. I might be biased by the nachos, though.

Going back to the amorous hormones of spring that I initially mentioned — why don’t people ever go on Paces dates? Instead of the infamous “Sharples date,” the foundation of many ill-fated budding relationships at Swarthmore, why not take your crush, hookup buddy or significant other out for a snack or dessert at Paces? With a bottle of wine and a table for two, this would be an infinitely more romantic alternative to the crowded and ever-awkward Sharples, without the expense or implications of a real off-campus date. If there’s anything Swarthmore needs more than more weeknight fun, it’s more romance. And nothing says “classy” quite like a first date over nachos.

So here is my goal for you, readers (if I have any): do something social one night a week this spring. No, Thursday nights don’t count — that’s clearly the weekend. Neither does talking to your friends in McCabe. Whatever you enjoy on the weekends, add a little bit of that to a weeknight — be it going to Paces Café, having a beer, watching a movie, whatever. But it should probably involve nachos.

Emily is a sophomore. You can reach her at ecrawfo1@swarthmore.edu.