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Loren WilliamsProfessor BlairUWRT 1104December 14 2016 The Barista BasicsA little over a year ago, I landed a job at one of the local Starbucks in Wilmington. This particular Starbucks is right by the beach, and I had been frequenting it for years along with my father who put in a good word for me with the store manager. When I got the job, I was both excited and incredibly nervous. I knew from my experiences as a customer, seeing the baristas, that the job I would be taking on would be no walk in the park. Attaining the secondary discourse of a barista is hard work. There is a certain way to dress, a whole new vocabulary to learn, very specific steps in creating drinks, and an all new outlook and set of beliefs to obtain with this secondary discourse. It requires a good bit of dedication and good attitudes throughout the process, but it is well worth the hard work once the discourse is mastered.When I first started my journey as a Starbucks barista, the dress code was slightly strict. A barista was required to wear black pants (not jeans), or khakis with a collared, solid colored top, along with the company’s famous green apron, hat, and name tag. Just recently however, Starbucks baristas were assigned a whole new dress code. The updated Dress Code Look Book refers to the new “uniform” as a more “personalized look” (“New Starbucks Dress Code” 2016). This includes an all new color palette that allows black, gray, navy, brown, white and khaki. Shirts may have small stripes, plaid patterns, or polka dots. Dark denim and modest skirts are allowed with the updated dress code, along with bright, unnatural hair colors. There was also a change in footwear and hats, allowing a wider array of shoes and almost any sort of hat, so long it has no visible logo. However, baristas are still not allowed to have their nails done, per health codes, or excessive facial piercings/tattoos. It was thought that some customers may react badly to the change of dress code because of how different it is (“Your New Starbucks Barista” 2016), however from personal experience at my own store, the customers actually really liked the dress code change. It is much more personal and allows baristas to express themselves in the workplace. Through the month-long training session each barista must go through in order to become certified, there is a whole new vocabulary to be introduced to. Some of the new words include “bean hopper” which refers to the machine that grinds espresso beans, “playbook”, the chart that explains each baristas’ role during their shift, and “steaming wand” which refers to the stick that steams and foams milk for drinks. Throughout training, I would shadow baristas for blocks of five hours and it was imperative that I learn this new vocabulary like the back of my hand in order to know what steps they were explaining to me. Without becoming familiarized with the new vocabulary, I would not have been successful at my job. Training is very meticulous and it was important that I paid attention to each and every step in creating a drink, no matter how small the detail. With each espresso drink, there is a specific sequence a barista must follow. First, the milk is measured out and steamed to order ( more or less foram for a cappuccino or latte). Second, the espresso shots are pulled for the size of drink (one for tall, two for grande and venti). While shots are preparing to pull, the barista must pump a mix of syrups into the cup or put the correct amount of sugars. Finally, the milk is poured in with the espresso and flavoring and the toppings are added. Along with paying attention to the flavors and recipes, it is crucial to pay close attention to the order written on the cup. There are a series of boxes indicating whether or not the coffee is decaf, non fat, including whipped cream, or sugar free syrups. The subtle differences in the markings in these boxes may be the difference between someone’s health and putting them in danger. If a cup is marked decaf, it is necessary to make sure that only decaffeinated espresso is going into the drink, as the customer may have a heart conditions that prohibits them from ingesting caffeine. Along with making sure the correct espresso is going into the drink, it is also important to make sure the correct milk and syrups go into the drinks, as a customer may have an allergy or health condition. In addition to all the new skills I had to learn while becoming a barista, I gained a whole new outlook on some things in life. As a part of my job, I was required to smile at all customers as I greeted them. It was a requirement that a barista has a good attitude at work, no matter what chaos is going on outside of work. With this secondary discourse, I had to learn how to forget about the things going on in my life outside of work and focus on the customers and my job that day. I also had to learn how to keep a positive outlook on the day, no matter how much of a hard time some of the customers would give me. At the particular Starbucks I worked at, there was a specific group of regular customers. There were about 15-20 customers that would come in every day, and all of the baristas knew their orders by heart. When I was a new barista, of course, I didn’t know their drink orders. It took me a couple of months to get used to these orders, and while some customers were patient with me, there were a few of the regulars who were just awful to me. They would blatantly make me feel unwelcome and ask for a different barista to make their drinks for them if they saw me behind the bar. This was tough for me, especially on top of the stress behind learning an all new secondary discourse. It was important for me to keep a level head and think myself through the conflict by reminding myself that it is just one rude customer, and I would make it through the uncomfort. This was a large part of obtaining an all new outlook and attitude, because if this were to happen to me in any other environment, I would likely lose my temper or become upset. Being a Starbucks barista is not an easy job. There is more behind being a barista than just pouring a cup of coffee for a rushed customer in the morning. It is a job that requires a person to learn all new skill sets, words, values, and even dress a certain way. This secondary discourse, like many others, requires a strong work ethic and dedication. There are many people and factors that go into influencing the way this secondary discourse is maintained, and they are all equally as important. Works CitedBen Rosen, Staff. "Your next Starbucks barista could have pink hair and a fedora." Christian Science Monitor 26 July 2016: N.PAG. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.Chan, Rosalie. "How People Are Using Starbucks To Support Black Lives Matter." (2016): 1. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.Gray, S. (2004, Sep 28). Starbucks to raise drink prices by an average of 11 cents a cup. Wall Street Journal Retrieved from Manning, Paul. "Barista Rants about Stupid Customers at Starbucks: What Imaginary Conversations Can Teach Us about Real Ones." Language & Communication 28.2 (2008): 101-26. Web.McMains, Andrew. "Talent Contest." Brandweek 52.11 (2011): 14. Business Source Complete. Web. 14 Nov. 2016."New Starbucks Dress Code Welcomes Personal Expression." Starbucks Newsroom. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. ................
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