Everyone knows at least one coffee-crazed individual who may be a little more than obsessed with Starbucks. There are different types of people: the ones who treat themselves to a peppermint mocha in the winter every now and then, the person who makes a biweekly trip for an Americano, and those who can't make it through the day without at least one venti iced coffee. Here are six signs that your love of Starbucks should probably be classified as a full on addiction (which there is absolutely nothing wrong with, btw!!):
1) The baristas know you by name.
When the barista stops asking for your name to write on the cup, it’s safe to say you’re probably a regular. Addict status: you walk up to the register and the cashier already starts writing your order on the cup with an unnecessary “Grande vanilla soy iced coffee with light ice?” confirmation—he’s got your order down to a T.
2) You're never more than five feet away from a Starbucks gift card.
They’re littered in your purse, strewn across your desk, and buried in your backpack. If you forgot your wallet walking into Starbucks, chances are the remnants of a holiday gift card are lurking in the back pocket of your jeans to cover your iced coffee. Everyone knows your desperate need for Starbucks cards, and thus gives them to you for every possible occasion—and you will use every one, down to the last cent.
3) You plan your routine around Starbucks.
You don’t leave anything to chance; Starbucks is your priority, and your schedule must be conducive to your coffee fix. Running late to class? Being five minutes late is preferable to forgoing your skinny vanilla latte. Your morning route across campus always winds its way through Starbucks. And you run your errands based on which ones are closest to the nearest drive-thru—the order doesn’t really matter, as long as you have that green straw in your mouth.
4) You find flaws with all other coffee brands.
Dunkin Donuts, Peet’s; all other java is simply subpar—end of discussion. God help whoever is around you when Starbucks is inaccessible and you are forced to consume coffee that is not served in a siren-emblazoned cup.
5) You become irritated by constantly defending your habit.
Being a Starbucks devotee means frequently justifying your addiction to disparaging friends. It quickly becomes frustrating to explain that yes, you know it would be cheaper to brew your own coffee but no, you aren’t giving up your ritual of chatting with your favorite barista in the mornings with the comforting sounds of steamed milk and crackling beans in the background and you leaving triumphantly with your soy chai latte in hand, ready to take on the world, because let’s face it, YOU AREN’T YOU WITHOUT YOUR STARBUCKS. Plus, how else would you get ahold of the festive red holiday cups in the winter? Case closed; Starbucks isn’t a bad habit, it is a lifestyle.
6) You have a gold card
If you get smart about buying your drinks using registered gift cards, you probably are the proud owner of the shiny golden rewards card that distinguishes true addicts. Just 11 more stars and you can taste the free latte you’ll get with your loyalty rewards points. Who says the addict life doesn’t pay off?
