My love affair with...

Starbucks. Sure, many Americans love their coffee, but I’m pretty sure I take it to a new extreme.

The worst thing that could have happened to my wallet did: The Indiana Memorial Union added a Starbucks to its venue, which I now pass through every day of the week. My grande, nonfat, White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream is a highlight of my day (and sometimes multiple “highlights” occur when I’m extra-tired), and at $4.05 a cup, I don’t know what I am thinking.

I probably average six cups of my beloved drink per week. That averages out to a weekly $24.30 and $1,215 per year (minus two weeks vacation, to be fair). In this time of economic crisis, and given that I am a college kid completely dependent on my parents, I should probably kick this habit. After all, $1,215 could buy a lot of other things. It could go towards rent, tuition, LSAT tutoring, a new Louis Vuitton bag, anything – but I would gladly give up other things to keep Starbucks in my life.

And no, Starbucks is not my boyfriend.

The thing is, I’m not alone. Starbucks is the “world’s leading roaster and retailer of specialty coffee,” according to the companies most recent 10-K report. More so, in our ever-globalizing world, Starbucks has shown up in countries such as South Korea, Kuwait and New Zealand. So, if I save up my $1,215 and decide to travel to Malaysia, I’ll be sure to stay near one of their 113 Starbucks locations.

But regardless of the endless Starbucks, and the millions of drinkers worldwide, some people hate the coffee chain I have come to regard as Mecca. When you Google Starbucks, words such as “pretentious posers” pop up from people who, I feel, simply don’t have a heart. Don’t they understand this is an addiction? Caffeine is one thing, White Chocolate Mochas are another. Pretty soon, Starbucks Anonymous groups will be popping up all over – just you wait.

Through this article I’ve identified I have a problem, but I’m not willing to do anything about it just yet. The coffee I make at home just doesn’t compare. Perhaps when I have bills to pay and thousands of dollars of law school debt, I’ll cut back on my Starbucks consumption. Then, I suppose, the honeymoon period will be over.

But I’ll love you forever, Starbucks.