If you want a cup of coffee on a Sunday evening at the Starbucks in William T. Young Library, please plan accordingly. 

Since renovations were made on the backside of the library, where Ovid’s café once was, the school acquired one of the largest student Starbucks of its kind. There is plenty of seating and study tables for group projects, meetings or dates. There is a connection from the library to the Starbucks, so you no longer have to go outside and face the elements. There are even lounge areas to study comfortably on couches and cushioned chairs. 

Even with all of these improvements, the Starbucks itself is not equipped to handle the capacity it’s laid out for. 

Because so many college students rely on caffeine to get through study sessions, the need for Starbucks is incredibly high, especially on a Sunday evening when students have finally shed their hangovers from a long Caturday and they need to power through some homework before the week begins. Unfortunately, the need is so universal at UK that the line can sometimes take 30 minutes to get through and another 40 minutes to actually get your drink.

Now a senior in college, I look back and think about my freshman days spent at Willy T. When I wanted a coffee or a chai tea latte before I began my homework, I don’t remember the line being this excruciatingly long. 

When Ovid’s moved to The 90 and Starbucks took over the place for itself, word spread and excitement grew. Many people believed this new and improved Starbucks would be able to handle anything, as it was advertised as “the biggest Starbucks on a college campus.”

With that being said, why does it take so long to acquire the drink you ordered? Is it because it’s advertised as the “biggest Starbucks” or is it because there is no longer a Starbucks above Commons on South Campus? 

It seems as if there have only been a few instances where I didn’t have to wait awhile for my drink at the new Starbucks, probably because I went at an earlier part of the day. But when the need for caffeine is high and lots of homework needs to be finished, I don’t have an hour to wait for my Veranda Blonde Roast. 

It’s almost as if there should be two complete Starbucks in the same area, similar to how Subway has two sides of production in Bowman’s Den.  This way, students can get their caffeine fix quicker and won’t waste time scrolling through Instagram while waiting in line. Students instead can flip through their biology notes while slowly sipping on java.

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