The local Darien Starbucks is a
very familiar spot for me. That being said, never before had I taken my mind
off my Pumpkin Spice Latte long enough to listen to and think about what was
going on around me. Once I settled myself in a chair, I decided to focus on the
most abundant crowd—teenagers. The first teenager that caught my eye was
sitting two tables away from me with a woman who looked like she was in her
late twenties. Laid out in front of the teenager were multiple college
brochures for Williams College—a small, but very prestigious, liberal arts
college in Massachusetts. It did not take me long to figure out that an
interview was taking place.
I
turned my attention to three teenage girls, who I would guess to have been
around thirteen-years-old, sitting around a table with what looked to be
chocolate flavored Frappuccinos. I felt bad eavesdropping at first, but they
were giggling so loudly it was difficult not to. They were talking about a
couple in their school that had apparently just broken up, and how “shocking” it was. Although
the three girls were all talking, they were also all on their cell phones,
texting and taking pictures of themselves. I could not help but think that
these girls were representing stereotypical Fairfield County teenagers. They
did not even notice that their noise level was becoming increasing louder.
Whatever was on their phones’ was keeping them from being aware of their
surroundings.
Overall,
Starbucks definitely attracts more than one group of people. Starbucks—at least
in Fairfield County—has come to be known as a relaxed place with a slightly
upscale environment. This is an explanation for both the college interview and
the giggly teenagers. There is a clear connection between the physical place of
Starbucks and that culture which has been created. In fact, I could not have been
less surprised by my findings, which just goes to show that I, too, have been
affected by this culture.
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