Sleep-Deprived Success

Walking into the dimly lit coffee house, the aromatic fragrances of each individual drink swirl together into a harmonious melody, overtaking one’s senses. Classical music fills the air, but is rapidly drowned out by the customers in their own little world. To the left sit’s the intimidating tray of sugar and cream, anxiously awaiting its use. Ahead is a refrigerated glass-covered structure holding row after row of scrumptious muffins, hearty sandwiches, and dainty scones. A middle-aged businessman types away at his laptop, unobservant of the college students hotly debating in the corner of the shop. A mom and her daughter chat at a table, while sipping at their favorite drinks, a sugar-free fat-free vanilla latte with low whip cream, and a white mocha; they too, are lost in their own world, oblivious to the heated debate, which was growing more intense by the second. A soccer mom impatiently waits in her car at the drive-thru, as the baristas rush to make her cappuccino. What started as a mere coffee house has become a major production company, keeping countless Americans awake through lectures, energizing the city, reviving what had become desolate.

As one continues to peer into the bussing café, one would notice the distinctive qualities that make Starbucks the centralized hub of any growing city. The deep hues of burgundy, beige, and forest green are in stark contrast to the brightness of the sun, shining on the pavement, the brilliant blue sky, and the snow white clouds. The soft buss of blenders, united with the airy sounds of a strong melody, console the senses after hearing nothing but the monotonous tapping of keys on a keyboard, cars whizzing by, and sirens wailing, like a newborn baby without food, in the distance all day. Even with the concentration of voices in such a compact area, the level of noise is relaxing to the ears after a long day at work. The occasional yet punctual grinding of coffee beans refresh the atmosphere, creating a new wave of emotion with every pound of coffee ground. The rich blend of flavors causes the taste buds to dance with happiness, demanding more. As the warm coffee coats one’s mouth, it offers a soothing, refreshing, original taste that revitalizes any brain, whether it had been run down by crunching numbers all day at work, or kept awake all night finishing an assignment due the next morning.

Starbucks is keeping up with the rapidly changing society; in some ways it remains traditional, but it still conforms to the necessities of today’s average working class person. Starbucks is the ideal place to stop, whether one is on vacation, traveling from another state, or merely stopping by before heading to work in the morning. Starbucks offers their customers wireless internet, which would be useful to any businessman looking over notes before a company meeting, any traveler wanting to report back home, and any teenager looking for a place to do their homework without the annoyance of little siblings. Starbucks offers a wide variety of seating, from large, comfortable chairs in front of a fire, to stiff, upright, wooden chairs at a table—suiting any person with any need. Starbucks is warm and cozy, adding that element of resting in your own home, even if you are miles away from your actual home. Every Christmas season, Starbucks changes from their eco-friendly cup, made from recycled materials, to a more festive, red, holiday cup. With this holiday cup come holiday flavors, such as Egg Nog Lattes, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Peppermint Mochas, and many more. As Starbucks has increased in popularity, the Starbucks cup has become an icon, a trendy, almost fashionable, statement.

Caffeine is readily available to anyone at nearly anytime, as we all force ourselves to work too hard, students stay up far too late cramming for the next days math test, and tasks are completed far more quickly than they were before. Breakfast used to be a family ordeal, and now it has become nothing more than getting in the car (in your pajamas, if you so please), going through the drive-thru, and ordering a meal that will take but five minutes to eat. Quality family time is no longer an emphasis of society. Wireless internet reduces the need to be at home, allowing the student to extract himself from the home, and los those valuable family connections, that were once so cherished by the average American family. The option to drive through a drive-thru is the epitome of laziness, one is not even required to get out of one’s car! The shouting of orders from employee to employee implies that there is no time for casual conversation, or even walking the order over to the barista to avoid straining your voice; everything must be done in the quickest manner possible. Through the characteristics of a single coffee house, one could deduce that the important aspects of society revolve around receiving what one wants in the most efficient, effective, and effortless ways.

~Lindsay