I know… I’m a little late for Coffee Week, but coffee week is every week. So today we will celebrate it! Starbucks® has become a household name since its foundation in Seattle, US around 1971 and in Puerto Rico in 2002. Many of us know our favorite coffee-based drinks: Frappuccino® flavors, Pumpkin Spice memes, and delicious pastries. But not all of us have the opportunity to work there and see the point of view of a Starbucks® partner.
There’s more to a partner (how the baristas at Starbucks® call themselves) than making coffee-based drinks and struggling to spell a customer’s name correctly, because for most of them, it’s truly a passion. On that note, today’s profile is one that shows us the point of view of a Starbucks® partner, but with the reality of being a full-time student in today’s society. We will be presenting William Bedics.
He is a Business Administration sophomore student with a major in Statistics and a minor in Mathematics. William and I go way back, we’ve known each other since kindergarten, so it was very exciting for me to interview him and give him an opportunity to share his voice, because he’s got a lot to say. That it’s worth listening. Almost every day, William would tell me an anecdote about his day at work and/or a new flavor he recommends I try, so this inspired me to write “What’s it like to work at Starbucks®?”
Image from https://bmhstudentwellness.wordpress.com/casual-and-part-time-work/balancing-work-and-study/
HCUPR Contributor: The coffee shop you work in is very popular internationally. Did that pressure you when you got the job?
William: Definitely! Mostly in the beginning, when I was working in a touristic area filled with people from all around the world, and still today, working here pressures me, and I pressure myself because the quality of the product here has to be the same quality that in any other store worldwide.
HCUPR Contributor: How have you been able to juggle a demanding job and full-time studies at the same time? What advice would you give to those who are interested in working and studying?
William: Well, above all, from the beginning of my journey working in Starbucks®, I clearly stated that my number-one priority is my studies. Having said that, every semester I send my availability depending on my college schedule to my boss. Based on my availability, they make my weekly working schedule. It’s not easy, I have to say, studying and working requires maximum effort and a lot of social sacrifices (going out often, sharing with friends and family). What I would say to college students that would like to work and study at the same time is that they have to be clear from the beginning on what the priorities are. Many students worldwide, statistically speaking, get “too hooked up” with work and just because they receive money, college doesn’t appeal to them as it should. And also, at least have a day off in both work and college, so you can rest and make some work in advance.
HCUPR Contributor: In your point of view, how do you see Puerto Rico’s current economic situation and how do you think that affects you and young citizens who work?
William: There are economic problems everywhere, but specifically in Puerto Rico, its economic and political problems are greatly due to its colonial status. I sell whole coffee beans from around the world, and it’s sad that Puerto Rican coffee is not well appreciated and internationally distributed like it was at the beginning of the 20th century. One of the things that I learned in High School, and it was really interesting, is that the coffee that was served to the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, was Puerto Rican. The reason, or one of the many reasons, why this has been limited is because due to the cabotage laws and the lack of local agriculture. It affects all of us, especially middle-class citizens, including us students, and people who want to make the best out of our island. Also, we, the younger generation, “the future of the world”, are not very well listened in our society, and that is not good; we might even work harder than most people in higher positions, and they want us to make $4.25 an hour. It affects exponentially how political and economic problems affect our social interactions and expand our limitations.
HCUPR Contributor: How do you see the situation in the future?
William: I see hope in the future, I know that Puerto Rico will wake up, and that the bipartisanship will end soon. We students need to make society listen to us, and make them know that we are as important as others and that our voices need to be heard and action has to be taken.
HCUPR Contributor: Continuing with your opinion, what could fix it?
William: Like I said before, bipartisanship has to end, most of the problems, in my opinion, were caused, and are still being caused because of the political fanatism.
William’s personal mini coffee station
HCUPR Contributor: Changing the subject a little bit and going in a lighter note… knowing your coffee expertise, what would you recommend to coffee drinkers and Starbucks® customers that want to try something new and different?
William: I have recommendations for every type of coffee drinker! For the coffee drinker that likes just a subtle taste of coffee, I recommend the Latte with or without any syrups (vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, etc). For the typical coffee drinker that just wants plain coffee, which has a strong taste, I recommend the Double-shot Short Latte, or like we boricuas say it “café con leche”; it isn’t too strong or too light, so for a boricua it’s just perfect! For people like me, that only want strong, black, juicy, bold, and sexy black coffee, I recommend on a mini cup, two shots of espresso, preferably made with a French roast. A French roast is the darkest of coffees, and I love it because of its smoky aroma and strong flavor. These recommendations are for usual coffee drinkers. For something new and different, there’s this Pumpkin Spice Latte®, seasonal favorite, but I give it a twist from the original recipe (haha). I use Vanilla Soymilk instead of whole milk, I ask for more pumps of Pumpkin Spice because the flavor is subtle, since I like it strong; and I need coffee because of the “no-sleep” from last night, I ask for an extra shot of espresso. That drink is just glorious. Glorious… Divine… Perfect… Amazing… okay, that’s enough for the description. Another of my favorites, for people who like Christmas flavors and strong coffee, I recommend a Triple-Shot of Espresso with white mocha, peppermint syrup and whipped cream on top. Again… it’s glorious, divine, perfect, amazing, sexy… okay. And last, but not least, for Harry Potter fans, the Butterbeer Frappuccino®, which consists of adding Toffeenut to the Caramel Frappucino®, and is just a favorite for many!
HCUPR Contributor: Are there any unique anecdotes from your days on the job?
William: I have lots of anecdotes, but few are very, very, very unique working at Starbucks®. One time there was a customer who wanted a Caramel Frappuccino®, but didn’t actually know its name (or that Starbucks® existed) and asked me for “the cold drink” (…). “Si por favor, quiero una bebida fría, pues esa.” and my poker face was “on-fleek”. There are also people that are not used to different coffee prices (you know what I mean) and they look at me as if they were going to kill me when I said that a small coffee is $4.00. My personal favorite, the most popular coffee in Puerto Rico, “el normal“. I cannot know which coffee for the client is normal, and there is no abnormal coffee! So I really can’t figure out what the normal coffee is.
HCUPR Contributor: Lastly, what is your favorite part about working at Starbucks®?
William: Working and studying is not something easy, but what’s clearly satisfying is the fact that you are in some way economically independent when the chance of going out and spending time with friends is possible. Also, one of my favorite parts of my job, maybe the most important to me, is not making coffee or getting a “quesito” out of the fridge; it’s the fact that with one smile, one simple “Gracias cielo, lindo día.” I can make someone’s day better, in certain way, and that really fulfills me. One of the things that was said when I first signed the contract with the company is that we have to be able to make our customers feel like they’re in their third place. But something very important is that some unique clients make me feel like I’m in my third place, and it’s just wonderful! The fact that they ask me about my personal life, how am I, just makes me feel like someone more than just the person that makes your drink or sells you coffee. And I want people that work in the Customer Service area, to connect with the customer, and not make them feel like a transaction, make them feel by who they really are, people!
William is not the only student who works and studies full-time, he is one of many. This shows that this generation of citizens is very dedicated to the fulfillment of their dreams and goals, even with economic problems involved. He is also one of many to find passion in what they do and make the most of it, whether it’s making someone’s day, like William said, or studying extra hours. Many times we have been told that we are “the future of Puerto Rico”, but we believe that we are also the present. As it was said in our last article “Do Negative Stereotypes of Puerto Ricans Affect our Society and Economy?”, everything we do that reflects our abilities has a positive impact in our society and economy.
For every second that we dedicate on the things we do, like studying and working, we are building a better place for ourselves individually and collectively. Sometimes working and studying at the same time can be very stressful, exhausting, and consuming, and that is completely understandable. But we do it because we can and because we are able to make things work. It’s important to take his advice and prioritize; make time for the things that need time; create a balance; be willing to make sacrifices because it will all be worth it eventually. It is also very important to consider one’s health and limitations. In the end, it will make us stronger.
Continuing on the coffee aspect of this article, don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with different drinks and flavors. I know that I have a lot of coffee to try out, thanks to William’s recommendations! I don’t know about you guys, but the Butterbeer Frappuccino® really caught my attention! You can visit William at Plaza Carolina’s Starbucks® .