Where the only thing that remains a constant … is my drink order.
On any given day, at any given time, the Starbucks on Marshall Street in Syracuse, N.Y. is always packed. If you catch me there, I’m doing one of two things: grabbing a quick drink with my therapist/best friend, Donovan, or what I like to think of as being wooed—a.k.a. meeting up with a guy for a quick drink. Now, this probably isn’t a surprise to most of you: “Duh, it’s Starbucks,” which is no doubt true. But, I’m invested in the franchise for more than just the coffee. It’s proven to be a good and loyal friend when it comes to those Syracuse Orangemen and even a SUNY-ESF Stumpy. Let me explain.
Case #1: Craig
I met Craig on a Friday night at the most typical of frat parties—which didn’t say much for where I thought things would head. But, after catching up later that weekend and even enduring a game together—which is quite difficult for us Syracuse students—I figured it was time we met up for some coffee at, you guessed it, Starbucks. He “picked me up,” which, for most college freshmen lacking the luxury of a car, means walking to a girl’s dorm, taking the elevator up nine floors, knocking on her door, and, if you go to Syracuse and live in the BBB dormitories, walking 20 minutes in the middle of a blizzard. Let’s just say, I really liked this guy. While waiting in line, for what seemed like forty minutes or so, Craig told me that if I correctly guessed what he was going to order, I would get a surprise.
Long story short, ten guesses later, and no surprise for Kaitlyn. However, this brings us to the first advantage of a date at Starbucks: a drink can tell you a lot about a person, and, heck, Craig managed to turn it into a conversation starter. As for his choice of drink, it was quite bizarre – Naked Juice’s Green Machine. Not coffee, espresso or hot chocolate. It’s not easy on the eyes, and, trying to make a good impression, I was forced to try it. While I was able to show off my knack for dirty jokes, regrettably, I never did end up liking his drink. Naked, that is. But, you know how college is: a 20-minute walk between dormitories is the new long distance–and those never last. Craig and I run into each other on campus now and then, and we always make plans to grab another cup.
Case #2: Paul
Now, Paul and I never went to Starbucks. So, why is he included in this list? Well, after a few drunken hook-ups fueled by peer pressure from our floor mates, Paul began to realize he needed to do something and something fast to make the transition from weekend, late night hook-up to meeting up during the week. Knowing Starbucks was somewhat of a second home for me, he suggested such an excursion. I resisted and persisted against this. And, that’s when it hit me: I didn’t want to go to Starbucks with Paul. I didn’t want to partake in the whole date ordeal with him—outside of his room or in our residence hall. So, while we never made it from the bed to the barista, Starbucks helped me to break off that lovely affair without breaking the bank.
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Case #3: Lucas
I like to think the phrase, “Nothing good happens after 2 a.m.” can always apply to exes and when they want to meet and catch up . You can just feel the threat of an inquisition brewing. But, alas, when it came to my ex Lucas, I always fell for it: hook, line, and sinker. But, when he proposed a cup of coffee at Starbucks, I felt a little better—Starbucks, this I could handle. This place offers the perfect getaway should the meeting go one of two ways: should it go sour, you have your keys, the gas pedal, and the satisfaction of leaving his sorry ass there, or it could stop you two from deciding to take things elsewhere. My advice is to always drive separately—trust me. Starbucks also helps in curbing any angst-ridden, emotional episode you might find yourself in the middle of. With an audience, conversation usually steers clear of rehashing the reasons you two broke up.
Sitting a foot away, Lucas and I put on our best impression of an episode from The Hills—where you manage to spend the better part of an hour talking about … well, nothing of substance. But, without too many hiccups, I have to say it went pretty well. However, I must confess: when I mentioned how Starbucks could potentially stop you from leaving and taking the conversation elsewhere…. sometimes you just don’t end up making the right call. Starbucks, 0 – Lucas, 1.
Case #4: Bryan
Now, seeing as I met Bryan at his frat’s end of the semester/any type of excuse to throw a beerBQ blowout, we didn’t stand much of a chance. After the hangovers had subsided, Bryan was insistent on hanging out again. I, of course, told him to meet me at Starbucks after class (see, I wasn’t kidding about how much time I spend there. But, I blame the cute barista who doodles smiley faces on my cup. He is a man after my own caffeine-addicted heart.) Now, when I go on a date or meet up with a guy, I always bring money. I find it rude to just assume he’ll pay, and, after bringing this up with my male friends, they find it rude as well. But, of course, I’d forgotten my wallet—not so much to the surprise of my friend Donovan. Thankfully, Bryan didn’t mind lending me a few bucks, seeing as how he only felt like paying for his drink that day (not that there was another occasion for him to do otherwise.) And, thanks to this heavenly coffee joint, I saw exactly where I stood with him in that he liked his coffee black. Now, when I hear people order their coffee black, no cream or sugar, I can’t help but think, “Come on, you’re not even going to finish that.” But, Bryan of course had his reasons: “This week is killing me. I’ve barely slept! Blah blah blah I’m so trendy and hip and badass blah blah blah.” Unfortunately for Bryan, I was about as interested in seeing him again as he was in finishing that coffee.
I’m not saying you’re going to meet the love of your life over a caramel frappuccino. Or even a soy latte. “Sometimes what you want ain’t on the menu,” a waiter told me one night. But, I’ll tell you this: Starbucks has weeded out a lot of rotten oranges from my love life. And, I was able to reach the Gold Level on my Rewards Card – talk about the benefits!
Not one guy ordered the same drink. Not one story ended the same way. However, the one thing I could always rely on was the quality of my Shaken Iced Tea Lemonade.