Starbucks – once again, I must thank you. There are a lot of Starbucks-haters in this city, but coming from small towns, Starbucks has always been a beacon of light, friendship, and caffeine. And today, in New York City, you provided all three.
Yes, I could’ve gone to a local coffee shop. I could’ve tried something new. But I decided to go to you, Starbucks, mostly because you accept my Dining Dollars, which I am extremely grateful for. As I was standing in line, I ordered my grande iced black coffee, and calmly proceeded to the waiting area where I ran into a new coworker. Most of my interactions with other coworkers have been pretty cordial at this point – friendly, nice, surface level. But if you know me, I crave that deep, personal connection with people. And I haven’t gotten much of that with my coworkers, at least not yet.
But this person I ran into – yes, at a Starbucks – changed my perspective. She said, “I was just talking about you to someone. We think you’re cool and want to hang out!”
OKAY. I THINK YOU’RE COOL TOO AND I WANT TO HANG OUT. I tried my best to keep my composure. But it was the first time someone had reached out like that and complimented me! …which never hurts.
Sometimes, I forget it’s only been a week. Literally. I’m so fortunate that I have friends from college here – it’s been so essential in making it a seamless transition. But I’m excited to get to know work people, too! And just as I was about to write it off, give up, Starbucks came through for me, once again.
Thank you, Starbucks. I love you.
map of nyc 