Starbucks Routine

Enjoying a drink during a long hot day of touring London

For those of you who have not heard, I will be attending Claremont Graduate University, pursuing a masters in positive developmental psychology. (I have a blog post about it, if you are interested in reading more.) I moved back down to Claremont a couple weeks ago, about a month ahead of classes starting, in order to settle in to my new place and get my routines set prior to the stress of my new graduate program.

It's been about two weeks, and I'll be honest: it's lonely. Not in any terrible way, but at night, when it gets dark and all I have for company is my kindle and my knitting, it's lonely. 

But I'm finding ways to make it work-- ways that include my favorite morning blended ice drinks at the nearby Starbucks.

I don't have a car, so my transportation options are limited. Luckily, I managed to swing a perfect place right next to my favorite Starbucks (where I used to study all the time in my undergrad years). There's something comforting about sitting here, typing out blog posts or decorating my journals, surrounded by familiar faces that I have never formally met, and simply existing in a routine I have come to understand.

I like my routines and my patterns. I like working at my local Starbucks, whether or not I have academic work to do or if I am simply arranging my journal for a likable instagram post. Having a place I go to and a routine I follow, it can bring a feeling of security and order in an otherwise chaotic mind. 

And when classes start, as anxious as I may be for them, that will be a further solidification of a routine that can give me stability. Stability, routine, familiarity-- this is all very important to me and to my mental health.

When my family was traveling over the summer, we would find a version of Starbucks, usually a local coffee shop, where I could sit for a few minutes, maybe get an iced tea or a milkshake type drink, and ground myself. Having an environment around me that I can feel comfortable in helps me settle, especially amidst so many new and confusing transitions and stresses.

I look forward to continuing to build my routine, to finding a way to stabilize amidst the empty loneliness and constant anxiety that comes with independence and moving forward in life.

Everyone should have a Claremont Starbucks, whether it is a physical place, a person, a habit, or a general setting. Finding that familiarity, finding the calm that comes with a routine-- it is something that should be noted and appreciated. 

And of course, blended mochas are always a nice touch :)

With love and strength,

Rivi