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Why a Day at Starbucks with Friends is Good for You

Olivia
Oct 11, 2015
4 min read

Starbucks seems to be the quintessential, cliché meeting spot for any kind of business proposition or for any artsy person to look trendy. The fact that Starbucks is currently trending (no doubt due to the return of their very popular seasonal flavour) is a clear indication that there must be something good about going there. Starbucks is a great place to go to get inspired because there’s always something happening. People chatting, the whirring of coffee machines, the artwork on the walls, the scent of coffee! I could go on and on! Even though I have had to majorly cut back on my coffee intake due to my acid reflux, when I do indulge, I like to treat myself. And with the cost of everything on the menu, it surely is a treat! I’m not suggesting eating out, or drinking at Starbucks every day, but every two weeks, or once a month is a great way to give yourself something to look forward to (while preparing your budget).

My inspiration for this post came from my two most recent visits to the coffee shop. I had a meeting yesterday at Starbucks. I was comfortable meeting there but I didn’t know what I was going to drink. I had a bit of a bad experience at Starbucks this week during another meeting. I was super excited to order the famous Pumpkin Spice Latte but I was immediately turned off when the cashier charged me an additional 75¢ just to get soy milk instead of regular whole milk. I’m lactose intolerant, and while I won’t turn down whipped cream, I absolutely cannot have anything made with whole milk (and especially egg yolks). I explained to the cashier that I wasn’t living some new fad, I genuinely had allergies, but I didn’t seem to matter. I also wasn’t impressed with the Pumpkin Spice Latte because I personally believe it’s more spice than pumpkin. At this point, I was ready to boycott Starbucks. But when I went into my meeting today, I decided to try it again, in the form of a Frappuccino. Because Frappuccino’s make everything better!

As I waited for my client to arrive, I chatted with one of my best friends who tagged along as my assistant. I convinced her to get the Green Tea Frappuccino. She absolutely loved it! And even better, my meeting was a huge success! My drink wasn’t completely awful (I still wasn’t wowed by it) and my day was off to a great start! I was in such a good mood, my friend and I went for a drive and had our own mini photoshoot! We had so much fun sharing camera tips and tricks and putting on our best Instagram model pose! It was a much needed break that I would definitely recommend (which I guess is exactly what I’m doing right now). Here’s how Starbucks can help to brighten your day!

FREE WIFI

How can you not celebrate for free Wi-Fi? Data is expensive and don’t you just hate shops that charge you for the Wi-Fi, or it’s password protected? Starbucks has two things that are essential for every blogger/worker/artist life…caffeine and Wi-Fi. Grabbing a grande or venti cup of heaven and sitting down to get some work done is always easy to do here. While Starbucks in no way has the best cup of coffee in the world (it may not even been in my top five) they sure have a way of making you feel like you’re getting something special.

CONVERSATION

Some of the best conversations happen around a cup of coffee. I can brainstorm so much more in a coffee shop than my bedroom. And having a friend with me, makes it so much easier to bounce ideas off of each other and catch up. Conversation is a great way to heal. We tend to regress and hide from the world when we’re feeling down. Don’t let this happen. Reach out to a close friend, or accept their next offer to grab a cup. It’s a great way to get out of your house without getting overwhelmed by large public spaces. Even if coffee isn’t your thing, don’t forget Starbucks still serves teas and fruit juices.

CUSTOM DRINK ORDERS

It’s no secret that Starbucks has a secret menu. There’s the Tropical Berry Swirl Frappuccino, Spiced Apple Pie, Sunrise Slush and the S’mores Frappuccino! Here’s the trick: as long as they have the necessary flavours on hand, they can make anything. You may pay a little extra but how cool would it be to brag to your friends that you had a Raspberry Cheesecake Frappuccino from Starbucks! Let them scratch their heads and figure out how you got something so exclusive!

If you get the time, visit your local coffee shop and instead of getting your drink to go, sit back and enjoy the atmosphere. Catch up with an old friend or get some work done. These things are not permanent fixes to conditions such as depression or anxiety, but it is a small step in the right direction, and small steps eventually lead to big steps.