Okay, we’ve all been there.
That daily dilemma, wondering whether you should get Dutch Bros and spend however much of your weekly food budget, or do you just make a cup of coffee with what you have in your apartment?
Most of us struggle with this decision daily, and after thinking about it, I blame the ever-growing sweet treat culture that so many college students have embraced.
Let’s face it, it’s hard being away from family. On your own, working on homework late into the night, trying to maintain a social life. We’re tired—of course, we deserve a drink.
Not just deserve it, we can justify needing it because we’re exhausted from the night before, and probably don’t have time or energy to do much else but swing by for this expensive pick-me-up.
Coffee shop culture has been an integral part of our lives since at least the 90s, when “Friends” took society by storm and left everyone longing for a life like theirs, complete with a cozy coffee shop to call a second home.
Not just because these relatable characters probably felt like they needed or deserved these treats or pick-me-ups, but also because it was a very realistic and cozy place to meet up.
It’s not like the characters in “Friends” lived a perfect life where nothing ever went wrong, but at least they had somewhere homey to hang out with their friends, laugh, relax, and forget about their problems.
It’s worth mentioning that a cup of coffee has gotten a lot more expensive since then. I mean, Ross and Chandler were paying maybe $1.50 for their cups of coffee. So, the question stands: is it still worth spending at least $7 a day on a drink from Dutch? And the answer is irrevocably and unconditionally, yes!
Steven Godwin, a music education major at Linn Benton Community College who has worked at the Dutch Bros on the Oregon State University campus for a few years now, agrees with me.
“While Dutch Bros is arguably a bad place for studying, it’s still the place people go for first dates or to find out whether or not they got a big promotion,” says Godwin.
Godwin also adds that as a barista, customers naturally share things with you.
“Especially our regulars, who we see all the time; they tell us all about what’s going on in their lives. Honestly, I see all kinds of drama working there,” he says.
I also spoke with Owen Eyerly, a first year mechanical engineering major here at Oregon State. “Coffee shops have definitely gotten a lot more crowded over the years, but I kind of like it. You know, the bustling and busy environment makes me more productive,” he says.
Spending $7 on a drink is more than worth it because at the end of the day, you’re not just paying for the drink. You’re also paying for the opportunity to meet the love of your life, or to bump into someone who becomes a lifelong friend; you’re paying for a community. So next time you’re trying to decide if you should treat yourself to Dutch Bros or not, the answer is yes, you should.
