Coffee (n): a drink made from the roasted and ground beanlike seeds of a tropical shrub, served hot or iced.
It’s so much more than that, though.
I never thought I would be one of those people who would wake up and say to myself, if I don’t get some coffee soon, I’m going to regret it. But alas, I am. I thought that the addiction might start in college, but it started so much earlier. My aunt began sharing her coffee with me when I was only eight years old, and I guess it stuck.
The headache that hits around 11 a.m. proves that physically, I do have an addiction. Actually, another hits around 2 p.m. so I guess it’s a pretty bad addiction. Being a barista, this might just be a part of the job—who knows. But the reality is, I’m addicted to coffee for more than just the caffeine.
In high school, coffee dates became a regular part of my schedule. My friends and I would go out to “get coffee” not for the drink, but for the company. I think I had one too many Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccinos than was good for me, but I had to start somewhere. I loved more than anything to sit at a coffee shop for endless hours talking about anything and everything with a friend. I could have cared less what drink I was getting and if it even was coffee, but it was who I was spending time with that truly mattered.
Since coming to college, coffee has become more of a necessity, but I’d say that it still feeds my social needs more than anything. If I had a quarter for every time I went out on a coffee date with someone to do homework, plan an event or just catch up, I’d be able to pay for all four years of tuition by now, I’m sure.
“Coffee dates” have somehow evolved into this norm that, if we’re being honest, has absolutely nothing to do with the coffee. I shouldn’t say this is for everyone since I have quite a few friends who honestly do love the coffee for what it is and the intricate details involved in the entire coffee process, but I don’t think that’s the norm. Having worked at three coffee shops now, you’d think that I would be one of those people, but I’m not. As much as I can appreciate what goes into making a coffee drink, I know the power it has to bond people, which is what I have learned to truly value.
Yes, coffee has become a physical addiction, but it symbolizes so much more than that. It means friendship, community and countless new shops to explore, which is far more intriguing to me than the mere drink itself.