Shots!

I’m a sorority girl and it’s college night at the local bar. By now you probably have an idea what I’m going to be up to this Thursday night, right? Well, you are wrong. It’s 8pm and while my friends are getting ready to go out, I’m nestled in the corner table at the campus Starbucks. As I walk up to the counter to ask for an extra shot in my shaken espresso, I laugh at the irony. The barista and I exchange a look as she hands me my drink, and for a slight moment, we understand each other. It seems we recognize the mutual feelings of exhaustion, as we both try to hide it behind our weary smiles. The moment is over.

I walk back to the table I’ve claimed in the nook of the room, trying to pry my mind from the thought that I’m going to be sitting in this exact spot for hours. In hopes of establishing companionship for the night ahead, I scan the room for any familiar faces. Nothing. I’m surrounded by fellow students, but somehow still alone. Here’s a word of advice: if you think now that you want to be a STEM major, don’t. I try to refocus my eyes on the computer screen where the jumble of gibberish that is my organic chemistry textbook glares back at me. My eyes are quickly retracted when I hear the door open. I manifest a familiar face. It’s him. Even though I could recognize this guy anywhere and I see him everywhere, that’s all it is. I don’t even know his name. Letting my mind wander from my responsibilities, I wonder what his life is like and try to imagine myself in his shoes. I continue to observe as I hear him order two matcha lattes. Is one for a girlfriend? A friend? Or maybe he’s expecting an eventful night and being proactive in preparation for the morning. I continue trying to piece together context clues in efforts to figure out what he may be studying. He doesn’t seem to have a big ego and appears to be soft-spoken. Well, that eliminates the possibility of a science or business major. His laid-back vibe and grunge aesthetic makes me land on a humanities major. Maybe he’s an English literature major. My watch buzzes on my wrist as my friends keep pestering me to go out, and I realize it is almost 10:00.

I battle back and forth on whether I should get more coffee, arguing that although it may keep me up all night, it may help me focus more successfully. However, it’s not until I decide to order another round until I realize I’m the only person left in the dining area. The Starbucks employees are packing up their things, preparing to head home for the night. Although I was not as productive as I needed to be, and I still don’t understand how to draw a 5-carbon ring, I can’t say I regret the time I’ve spent indulging in the liveliness of the coffee shop. It certainly beats studying in my dorm. I finally get up to leave for the night, knowing I’ll be right back here tomorrow for a second attempt at the work I didn’t complete.

ABOUT THEM BEANS

Who: An exhausted pre-med student.

Where: Cottrell Starbucks on High Point University’s campus

When: A Thursday night in late August.

What I’m drinking: iced chocolate almond milk shaken espresso.