dear dunkin,
dunkin. i don’t know what i would’ve done without you in my entire college career. we’ve been together for so much and for so long. from hellish 8am classes to 3am crashouts, you’ve been there for me and pulled me through everything. my ride-or-die, my emotional support, my dunkin. there were so many days that i couldn’t remember what a full night of sleep or even a good 8 hours of sleep felt like, but what i do remember is how your large iced matcha latte with sweet cold foam (sometimes three) has picked me up. some days, it was your large mango pineapple refreshers, and other days, it was a large iced coffee with crazy amounts of espresso. the only consistent thing in every finals week, plus my crippling never-ending procrastination.
while the lines were constantly, horrendously long, my stress levels were always higher, and seeing you first thing in the morning was the highlight and the hope of EVERY day. even when sodexo let me down with all their mid (and expensive) options, you never did. i’ve been half-asleep, i’ve cried over exams and assignments and i’ve celebrated wins in your lines. i’ve written one too many essays, working solely off of your caffeine and your breakfast sandwiches. I once lived off breakfast sandwiches for three days straight, and i’ll admit it wasn’t the most nutritious meals, but was it for survival? yes, absolutely, but it worked and i’m a survivor.
i got iced coffee in the middle of summer. i got iced coffee in the middle of winter. i wasn’t judged when i asked for thirteen donuts. i wasn’t judged when i ordered looking like a crashed out crusty dusty looking gremlin who hasn’t slept in months. hopefully, i wasn’t judged when the same guy at dunkin sees me every day at the exact same time. i was hanging on by a thread and the caffeine from dunkin was and still is my only lifeline.
you were more than just coffee. you were my only comfort zone, my pick-me-up, the only excuse i could use to take a break while i crashed out at bartle, at undergrounds, during meetings. if i take a break to grab dunkin, it’ll help me to work harder ykwim!
so binghamton dunkin donuts, thank you. for never running out of matcha (except for those couple of times i really needed it, i’ll forgive you). for dealing with my sleep-deprived, caffeine-fueled crash outs and mood swings. for giving me the strength and motivation to pull off all nighters and multiple page papers and awkward presentations that i still cannot do. this degree would not have been completed without you.
with love, crashouts, and caffeine,
tina oh
in all honesty, i really wouldn’t have made it without the crazy amounts of dunkin these past four years. i remember when i was a freshman and not even going to class and alone in my dorm all the time, and now here i am, (barely) managing to get to class and making it through the day with my lattes and surrounded by my friends in ao and kcf fueling my horrible spending habits (i treated so many of you LOL). thank you binghamton, ao and kcf for an unforgettable four years, and thank you dunkin for the disgusting amount of caffeine and the horrible amount of money i’ve spent on you.
Tina Oh
Senior Advisor ‘24-’25
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