We'd all like to find something that brings us in with the norms of society and coffee is that norm. Our parents and grandparents might have told us when we were 12 years old that coffee would stunt our growth, or that it wasn't good for us. For a while I was actually worried about my height only because my doctor told me that I was supposed to be taller than I am, but I can say that it didn't stop me. I started drinking coffee in high school and now I'm addicted.

Drinking coffee seems to be the classy thing to do these days. Whether you get coffee with a friend just to chat, or you try out a new coffee shop because you want to be "cool" and in with the vibes. When it comes to drinking coffee there are two different types of people: those who drink for quality and those who just drink. For those of us who appreciate the quality of coffee, we search for coffee shops in new places and we try their lattes because if the coffee shop can't make a simple latte then they aren't worth our time. We look for quality coffee beans, too. In our search, maybe we'll find a unique coffee shop with something new to bring to the table, like Italian-style coffee. Unlike us classy folk, the rest of the coffee drinkers will go to their closest Starbucks or Seven-Eleven for a quick pick-me-up. This is totally acceptable, being that you still appreciate that you need this beverage in your life.

Addiction or social norm? For most of us who drink coffee for the art of it, we have actually become addicted to this nerve-stimulating substance. The drinkers that visit their local Starbucks, Pete's, or Seven-Eleven, too, are likely addicted to the rush. You should know that coffee is essential to fitting into social norms, and if you want to fit into the coffee subculture then you need to incorporate it into your daily diet. You might appreciate great coffee, but you also just really need it to survive the daily grind so having three cups a day is normal-- just be sure to eat while you drink; otherwise, you'll be shaking all day.

Coffee is in our social norms as we go up through high school, trying to make it to school by 7 AM; college students drink it day and night just to be sure the caffeine makes up for their lack of sleep, and adults need it to actually function in their daily 9-5 lives. We forget that caffeine is a drug, and we are the addicts who consume this drug to fuel our daily functionality. During this cold weather, you might claim that you drink coffee because it warms you up, but if you were being honest about that statement, then you would have ordered hot chocolate. Coffee has found its way into our daily diets, yet it takes us hip or "cool" folks to appreciate its classy, chill, and vibin' culture.