Best Places to Cry, Ranked

For just under $200, you can rent a room in Philadelphia for approximately three, one-hour slots a month. In this room, you are free to do nothing; that’s the goal, founder Carlee Myers says, of the Stress Less Space, which opens this Sunday.

I don’t think I would ever pay for the opportunity to sit and do nothing (although, who knows; I’ve spent money on more regrettable purchases), but when I shared the news with my colleagues, the conversation instantly evolved into how such a room might be a nice, private place to cry in. I don’t disagree (still, $200/month seems steep to me), but I countered that there are plenty of public places to cry that can basically offer you a generous amount of privacy if you will it.

Personally, my favorite way to cry is to sit in my bathtub, fully clothed, and just get on with it until I feel I can muster up the courage to wash my face and face the world, but there are options if you find yourself already facing the world when you’re hit by the sudden need to cry.

Below is a list of my favorite places to cry, ranked from best to least favorite:

Bus
Park
Car
Book store
Plant store
Someone’s stoop
Subway
Mall
Your desk at work, if you have a door
The bathroom at work
Coffee shop
Elevator
Hospital
Post office
Your desk at work, if you have no door