Impatience and Peer Pressure

I've wanted one of those reusable cold cups (designed for iced drinks at coffeehouses) for a while now.  I looked longingly at them last summer, when my research group made weekly forays to Starbucks, but never bought one.  They're made of plastic, and I wasn't sure I wanted that.  This summer, I kept my eye out at yard sales but didn't see any.  I mentioned it to my family, who questioned why I wouldn't just buy one new since they were so inexpensive and available.

So a few weeks ago, we were at the grocery store, and there were the cups, with stickers proclaiming "eco-cup".  My Mom and sister went "look, here they are, just get one."  And I did.  So did my sister.  I felt vaguely guilty for picking up a new piece of plastic, but I ignored it.  Surely, it had to be better than getting a new plastic cup every time I wanted an iced drink?

Tonight I went to Starbucks to meet a friend, toting my reusable plastic cup.  As I walked over to the counter, guess what I saw.  Reusable metal cold cups, complete with metal straws.  I could have cried.  If I had waited a few more weeks, and not given in to the pressure, I wouldn't have bought a new piece of plastic.  Clearly, Starbucks pays at least some attention to the recent anti-plastic trends, and has come out with an alternative.  It was just too late for impatient me.  I could buy a metal one, and I still might, but it doesn't change the fact that money has already been spent on the blue plastic cup sitting on my counter right now.