“Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.”

In “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” Samuel Taylor Coleridge writes of a mariner who shoots an albatross, setting off a chain of disasters for him and his sailors.

It’s a cautionary tale about being surrounded by what you want yet unable to obtain it. Gen Z faces a similar dilemma, but instead of water, it’s social interactions.

I can’t tell you how many of my friends have shared the overwhelming sense of isolation they feel. It’s heartbreaking and widespread. A study by Cigna revealed that Gen Z reports the highest level of loneliness in America, with 73 percent of those surveyed saying they almost always feel alone.

Enter third spaces. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term in his 1989 book, “The Great Good Place,” referring to social spaces separate from home and work. These spaces foster interaction, relaxation, equality amongst members, and community building.

Think of your favorite place to hang out — maybe it’s Java House or your intramural sports team. For me, it’s Critical Hit Games. These are third spaces.

The problem: They’re dying.

The National Library of Medicine tracked third-space establishments from the Great Recession of 2008 until 2015 and found a decrease in nearly every category. Places for entertainment and recreation dropped by 18 percent, religious organizations fell 17 percent, and hobby retail stores plummeted 27 percent.

If that wasn’t enough for you, look at dating trends. Gen Z dreams of the perfect meet-cute — think of “Love Island USA,” the most-streamed original content July 5 to 11 this year.  Maybe you imagine meeting someone at a coffee shop or the library, reaching for the same book but touching hands instead.

Well, according to Stanford University, you’re 76 percent more likely to find your partner on Tinder than on campus. Thirty-nine percent of couples cite dating apps as their main way of finding each other, while only 20 percent met through friends. In 1995, meeting through friends was the top method of introduction for couples at 33 percent.

People may say the new third space is the internet, but we both know that’s not an adequate substitute. If it were, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Sure, social media can act as a gateway into finding niche communities, and it acts as a great way to keep in touch with distant friends and family, but it should complement your social life, not replace it.

No wonder Gen Z feels so alone. However, all hope isn’t lost.

I interviewed Jack Brooks, special projects assistant at City Channel 4 and a colleague of mine. Part of his job involves creating promotional material for organizations across Iowa, giving him a unique perspective on third spaces through his constant interactions with them.

He says today’s social landscape is definitely different than it has been historically but insists that third spaces aren’t dead.

“It may take more effort to look, but once you start it’s easier to keep in touch,” Brooks said. “However, I do recognize that there is more of a tendency to look at virtual relationships as socialization versus having in-person interactions with people.”

Brooks makes a solid point. While it may be harder to find in-person spaces, that doesn’t mean we should settle for social media alone. Iowa City has a vibrant social scene many students may not know about. Events like Oktoberfest, Latin Fest, and the recently added Africa Fest are great ways to get outside and have fun.

Other spaces to delve into your interests, including Daydream Comics, Critical Hit Games, and FilmScene are right around the corner. The university also sports over 600 clubs. The death of third spaces is real, but Iowa City is alive and kicking.

We can support these places by showing up and showing out. Some third spaces have disappeared because we’ve prioritized online interactions over in-person ones, myself included. And how could we not? The world is increasingly digital.

More third spaces are needed, without a doubt. But while killing the albatross sealed the mariner’s fate, the death of third spaces doesn’t have to seal ours.