As the doors open at 8:15 A.M, herds of scholars flow from cars and buses into North Atlanta. Some pass the thieving vending machines with their own drinks in hand to start the day while others fall victim to the vending machine’s schemes. The diverse preferences of what an ideal morning drink should be, scatter the 11 floors of North Atlanta. Whether it’s coffee or a refreshing drink, Dubs look forward to their first satisfactory sips to kick off the long eight-hour day to come.
With school just starting, some students have to get back into the groove of going to their morning spot. Similarly, as the incoming freshman class arrives, they begin to enjoy the close proximity of the many establishments that surround North Atlanta High School. For Emmy Loft and Rowan Dawson-Flanagin, Starbucks is the place to be. Not only are they close friends, but they also share the same drink order, a Venti Strawberry Açaí Refresher with Lemonade and (specifically) no berries. Some Dubs have a need for caffeine solely to help them get up in the morning, so you could imagine the necessity for it to stay engaged with the at-times tedious school tasks. “It’s so good and the caffeine in a Venti just makes me feel recharged,” Loft said.
As the workloads become more rigorous, the number of drinks brought in will rise. As returnees in the class of 2026, some sophomores have gotten used to bringing a drink to school. “When I want something sweet, Minute Maid and Powerade are my go-to’s from the vending machine, it’s the only thing that gets me through having chemistry and geometry in the morning,” Joshua Daniels said.
Juggling sports and academics in an IB school is a hard feat. When it comes to Warrior athlete, Drew Coleman, he tends to stick to water throughout the day. In this Atlanta heat, it’s best to stay hydrated. “An iced coffee at home before school, or iced water is all I need,” he said.
North Atlanta shows diversity in many ways, including through the beverages that grace the hallways, but what’s the same is that as MYP projects, AP Exams, college, as well as general thoughts of the future, arise, the Dubs are eager to have a little joy in their cup.
