Starbucks

Date: 3/27

  Why do people travel the wilderness, dive into the ocean, or traverse the Sahara to look at animals? It is because people want to see these creatures in their undisturbed, natural environment. It's like setting up a camera to see what your pet does while you're at work. You start to notice that it does a lot of things you've never seen it do before when you're around. The same goes for seeing a bear or a pack of buffalo undisturbed in the wild.

  Starbucks is a coffee shop that is jokingly known as the 'natural habitat' of white females and hipsters. Many speculate what makes Starbucks stand out from other coffee shops like Dunkin Donuts. While talking customers in the shop, some had said it's the variety of drinks, others said its the community. However, a majority have said that Starbucks provides more than just coffee. The artsy feel, the jazz flowing through the speakers, and the importance of eco-friendly materials give some customers a vibe that makes them feel more sophisticated and benevolent compared to others.

  So, for this week, I will be hanging out at Starbucks on my campus at the opening, middle, and closing of the day. What I plan to do is just sit back and observe everything happening around me. I will be taking some recording equipment along with me in order to get a better understanding of certain things after my research is over. What I first hope to see is the number of people to enter. Next, I hope to see how people interact with each other as they wait for their orders. Hopefully, my first couple days go off as I plan them too.

Date: 3/12
Entry 1: Morning

  It was nine o'clock in the morning as I walked into the Starbucks. I walked up to the cashier, ordered myself a coffee and muffin, and then sat down where I could see everything. Within a couple of minutes, a line was forming out of the room. The baristas were slow, so when one customer finished their order, three more people joined the line. If it wasn't for impatient people needing to rush to their classes, it would take ten minutes for everyone to get their order.

  Despite what looked like hundreds of people waiting for their frappuccinos and lattes, barely a peep was heard from the crowd. The most common sound one would hear is the shuffling of feet as they take a couple steps closer to their drinks. Occasionally, you would here a pair complaining about the length of the line or about their early morning class.

Entry 2: Noon

  I check my clock. It just became two o'clock, and the rush has died down. There are only a few people showing up for their caffeinated goodness. People are scattered around the room as they wait. Two people are leaning by the forks and knives, and three others are sitting together at a table. When one person leaves, they get replaced with at least one or two people.

  However, to counterbalance the emptiness of the Starbucks, everyone is a lot more chatty and active, which means they probably don't need coffee. The two people by the utensil stands are talking about what they did over the weekend and the three sitting across from me is doing more chatting about the assignment then they are actually doing the assignment. Even the baristas are chatting with each other and students that they know.

 Entry 3: Afternoon

  The clock stricks four o'clock and the Starbucks is dead silent. Besides the two baristas, it is just me. People walk past the entrance but none decide to enter its domain. Once in a while, a person will order something quick like a muffin or a soda and then leave just as quickly. Due to the lack of people, the room is silent. It is so quiet, I could hear a pin fall from the next room over.