You're sick of the library, your roommate won't stop coming in and talking to you when you try to study in your room, and it's so pretty outside that if you try to go work in the commons you will just end up doing cartwheels instead. So, you pick up and go to Starbucks (probably the one on Hulen if you are anything like every TCU student ever). Now, we know why you are there, but who are all those other seat-fillers and what brought them to spend their Sunday afternoon being serenaded by the sounds of the Starbucks milk steamer?
First, you have the person who is snuggled into one of the armchairs loving their life behind the pages of a newspaper or a good book. They probably had a super productive week and the worn furniture at the local Starbucks is their guilty weekend pleasure.
Then there is that lady who just ordered a Venti double-chocolate Frappuccino. Is this a “treat yo'self" situation or a biweekly purchase? I don't mean to judge, but how are you not dead? This sounds so judgmental…maybe I just wish I were you.
Next to you, there's the guy in all black with all the tattoos creeping out of his sleeves and the top of his shirt who's drinking a passion tea lemonade. Turns out he's actually really nice and will watch your laptop for you when the coffee hits your bladder, and you cannot continue productivity until you've peed.
Make sure to smile at the mom waiting in line to get her kiddos jacked on caffeine. This sugar and coffee may just be incentive to get them to study for their spelling test tomorrow, but something tells me kids raised on $4 lattes are going to have a hard time accepting rejection later in life.
Next to the creamer station, find the chick who's being way more productive than you. She was here when you arrived, she will still be there when you give up and leave. You've seen her pick up three different textbooks, and her eyes haven't so much as wandered from her study zone. She's probably on the real deal—black coffee.
Of course, there's that person awkwardly positioned in your line of sight who you keep staring at whenever you space out. They've caught you looking blankly in their direction a few times and have been courteous enough to smile and look away quickly, but you can tell they're getting weirded out.
And, it's not a true study outing without the dude who thinks loud public phone calls in small square footage buildings are fun for everyone. We were all wondering what Jan from accounting was telling you on Thursday, but if you wanted to just send a mass email about it later, that would be cool too.
Hey, look over there! It's the person you recognize and should probably say hi to but you can't remember what class it is you know them from. Or is it which party you met them at? Which friend of yours they maybe dated? Agh, never mind, just avoid looking over at their corner.
And then there's the barista. He's giving you funny looks, so it's probably time to stop staring down all the other customers and head out. Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their coffee.
