Nestled in the heart of the Ville (the center of the town of Swarthmore), Hobbs Cafe is more than just a coffee shop—it’s a cherished part of our college experience. While Hobbs attracts new and visiting customers, it has become a sanctuary from life’s daily grind for college students and locals alike. There is a comforting sense of community within Hobbs, as many of the faces you see will be familiar after even just your first visit. My roommate and I often joke about the two babies we always see at Hobbs; we swear they haven’t aged a day since we arrived at Swat over two years ago.
One of our favorite activities is the “Hobbs Sit,” a term that holds a special place in the hearts of many Swatties and slightly differs from the “Sharples Sit” in our dining hall. You may ask, what is the Hobbs Sit? A Hobbs sit typically involves walking 5-7 minutes from our dorms to the cafe. The warm, inviting atmosphere immediately makes us feel at ease and excited for the day. Because Hobbs seating is usually a hot commodity, the ordering of the following events is key to having a successful Hobbs sit; you must first secure a table and then order. Our favorite spot is the elevated table by the window. This table provides a conveniently placed outlet for our often-dying electronics and serves as the ideal people-watching perch. After we claim our table, we will join the line of people waiting to order. We will then order our favorite items. My favorite order consists of an iced chai with oat milk and an everything bagel with egg and cheese. We can pay using Swat Points, which are included in your meal plan and can be used throughout the Ville. With our orders put in, we begin our Sit.
While waiting for our food and drinks, we play the New York Times word games. Starting with the Wordle, we either race to see how quickly we can complete the game or choose to work together, focusing on accuracy rather than speed. By the time we have completed our games, we usually have begun eating our food.
If the week is busier, we may choose to get some work done; however, if our schedule allows, we will move on to our favorite (although sometimes frustrating) game: Semantle. Regardless of whether this game takes ten guesses or 80 guesses, we must complete it before we can leave Hobbs. The challenge of not looking up synonyms keeps our brains searching for the correct word. Eventually, we will reach the time to venture up the hill to one of our three libraries to get some work done. One of the best parts of the Hobbs Sit is the constant movement of people. The flow of people leads to an ever-changing number of chairs, often reaching a point where far too many chairs are smushed around a tiny table. That is the beauty of the Sits: there is always room for another person.
