Coffee Shoppin'

Mocha Latte with extra whipped cream mmm!

I enjoy coffee shops.  Mostly because I really want a fancy cup of caffeinated something with loads of whipped cream that I don’t have to make on my own.  One of my favorite things to do at coffee shops, other than drink my coffee OBVI, is people watching.  Especially at the hipster, trendy coffee shops.  There’s always an interesting mix of people who hang out, and their conversations are always really funny or just weird.  Basically, I get my coffee, find a good spot where I can discreetly look out at the entire coffee shop, set up my laptop and pretend that I’m actively working on something.  I look pretty young for my age, so people might assume I’m some kinda college kid writing a paper.  This might seem creepy, but I promise it’s not! You should totally try it sometime if you don’t already engage in such activity.  

Anyway, while I’m “working” I scan the room and study all the different types of people hanging out.  There are people studying, people pretending to study (like yours truly), and then there are the people who are on dates.  This is my favorite kind of people watching.  There is nothing more entertaining than watching a male and a female awkwardly get to know each other over a cup of coffee without the help of dim lighting and liquid courage.  I bring this up because, at this very moment, I am witnessing an awkward coffee shop date take place right before my eyes!  When the guy walked in, he sauntered over to the girl with his hands in his pockets, chest out (maybe he was trying to showcase his abs through his shirt??), and casually bent down to give the girl (still seated) a hug.  The girl seems cute, maybe a little timid.  The guy is rambunctious and frat-tastic.  The guy doesn’t have any coffee.  He is leaning back in his chair with his legs spread, obviously trying to give off a vibe of being easy-going and relaxed when on the inside he is probably panicking and wondering whether his fear is showing.  The girl looks a bit nervous.  Her legs are crossed, she is clutching her cup of coffee as if it were a security blanket, and teetering on the edge of her seat (not in an eager way but in an anxious way, maybe hoping that leaning forward will convey that she is deeply interested).  

Now that you know how these two cutie pies are sitting in their seats, let me tell you about their conversation.  After assuming their seating positions, they began discussing classes and professors.  At this point, I think it is safe to assume that they’re college kids.  The guy starts spewing out his dreams and aspirations.  He wants to become a successful stock broker on Wall Street (Ah yes. THAT American dream).  The girl then discusses her desire to go abroad to Europe or Asia and explore different cultures and “just like travel, you know?” (direct quote, y’all).  And the guy replies with, “Oh yeah, totally.  That’s like totally something you gotta do before you delve into like life.”  Deep thought.  Let’s all nod our heads in appreciation.

So, basically their conversation consisted of life-talk and what seemed like some kind of weird competition.  Each person was trying to impress the other person.  It went from academic competition to social competition.  The guy started talking about how he had three papers due on Monday and two exams coming up.  The girl mentioned that she had to read 200 pages by Monday and study for her  Biology test.  Then the guy began to talk about how he was still hungover from the party he went to last night, and the girl responded by saying, “oh ME TOO! That’s why I HAD to get some coffee.  I’m like so hungover from last night.”  Then the guy started bragging about how he did like 8 shots before he felt tipsy (oh really. 8 shots? riiiight), and the girl looked at him in awe.  It was ridiculous.  Are these the kind of things that guys say to impress girls these days?  Once they were done talking about this stuff, the guy told the girl about some party he was going to tonight and if she wanted a ride to the party.  She gladly accepted the offer, and then they both decided to part ways so they could sleep off their hangovers for a few hours before the crazy party tonight.  

It’s always interesting listening to what people talk about while they’re on a date.  There are those stereotypical conversations that revolve around questions like “what is your favorite (fill in the blank)?”  But the couple I was eavesdropping on seemed to focus on topics that they had in common (things revolving around the school that they both attend and the parties they both went to).  Is the reason why blind dates are so difficult and dreaded by people because there is no common ground?  Is it too much out of one’s comfort zone to start out knowing absolutely nothing about someone except for their name?  I personally think it's ok when two people don't have a whole lot in common.  You learn about new music, new food, new ideas, new opinions, etc.  I don't know.  Would you feel more comfortable going on a date with someone that you had a ton in common with or someone you didn't know a whole lot about?