Hello, my name is Kylee Culpepper and I am an addict. My drug of choice is, in fact, Starbucks. Some may say that I am just a basic white girl, but I am afraid it has become more than that. I have a problem.
Stage 1 of becoming addicted: Experimentation. For many years, I never dipped into the Starbucks lifestyle. For the first half of my 19 years, I was revolted by coffee. Then one day I tried the Caramel Frappuccino, and my life changed. Suddenly, colors seemed brighter and the world seemed more peaceful. After I went through my fair share of different Starbucks drinks, I couldn’t help but come back to the Caramel Frappe, the drink that changed my perspective.
Stage 2: Regular Use. Coffee was exhilarating. I began drinking Starbucks everyday. My friends always stood by my side while I waited to get my fix.
Stage 3: Risky Use. Well, I would never say I have found myself in a rather dangerous circumstance with the almighty Caramel Frappuccino. Those late night Starbucks run to the 24 hour store were a bit risky. Did I need coffee at 3 in the morning? The answer is probably not, but I needed to satisfy my craving.
Stage 4: Dependency. I can stop whenever I want. I don’t need it... I think? There are definitely some mornings I feel like I can’t function without my fix, but I wouldn’t say I am dependent on it.. I just really, really want it to help get me through the day. There is a difference, right?
Stage 5: Wake up call. Have you ever ordered a Caramel Frappuccino at Starbucks only to be told you they were out of caramel? I have. It was the worst day of my life. How could they do this to me? I was such a loyal customer. That day felt like a lifetime. It dragged on and on. It was then I had an epiphany: this drink was taking over my life.
Stage 6: Self-Awareness. After that horrific day, I realized Starbucks is only a drink. I realized how addicted I was and how much it was effecting my bank account and my life. But that doesn’t mean I stopped.
The first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem, but is loving Starbucks really a problem? I mean, sometimes I do beg my parents for a couple extra dollars just so I can indulge in a tall Frappuccino or if I want to splurge, I opt for the extra caramel drizzled around the inside of the cup creating an unbeatable taste.
The most unfortunate problem I have faced when dealing with my love for Starbucks is the fact I can find one on everywhere. How can I stop when temptation literally lies on every corner? Spending over $100 a month on the delectable beverage is not that big of a deal. I just think about how I could be spending that money on illegal substances, so this shouldn’t be such a big issue, am I right? In the words of Miley Cyrus, “I can’t stop, and I won’t stop.”
Starbucks employs almost 200,000 people and makes billions of dollars. I am merely being a contributing member of society and ensuring employees of Starbucks have job security. In Arizona, Starbucks employees are offered free-tuition for online classes at Arizona State University. I support a company that gives back. How can you find fault in that?
Update: I may actually be addicted to Starbucks. Although I still struggle every day with the temptation, I have now cut down the number of trips to Starbucks. I take it one day at a time, step by step. Please, if you or anyone you know is struggling with a Starbucks addiction, just know you are not alone. We can resist the cravings together.
