Long day? Buy boba.

Tiring swim practice? Buy boba.

Broke? Buy boba so you can reach 10 purchases and get 15 percent off your next order!

After a long day at school or any day, really, junior Shannon Ji typically opts for a cup of boba to solve all her problems. It usually doesn’t work, but hey, a girl can dream!

In the face of the ever-growing popularity of boba, many busy, stressed high-schoolers enjoy this drink every now and then. But for Ji, it’s practically an addiction.

She doesn’t technically have an addiction to this sweet drink — she doesn’t get headaches or other “withdrawal” symptoms from not drinking it for a few days. However, for her, boba is a guilty pleasure.

Ji is still relatively picky about what boba she drinks. She goes to a couple of boba shops so often that she practically has her order memorized: regular milk tea with red beans from TeaTop and salted cheese green tea with lychee jelly from Happy Lemon. She refuses to drink boba from certain shops such as Quickly, where she deems the pearls too hard and the drink itself too artificial. 

Ji may not like to admit it, but it is clear that she has a dependency on one level or another to this addictive drink. She has averaged three drinks every week since she was 13, although the number is probably higher because it’s gotten to the point where she herself doesn’t even remember how many she has had in a week. 

For Ji, boba is perfect for every occasion. Whether she is having a rough day, being social with friends or just trying to satisfy her craving, boba runs are her go-to activity. Because Ji practically drinks boba religiously, her friends go to her whenever they have questions about what the best menu items in various boba shops are. 

Despite Ji’s love for the drink, she realizes that boba is not the healthiest option. In fact, whenever she is trying to reduce her sugar intake, the first adjustment she tries to make is to cut down on her boba drinking. The longest she went without boba was two weeks, she said, but her cravings became too strong and overpowered her desire to stay healthy.

As Ji is part of the school’s swim team, she tends to drink boba more often in the springtime during the swim season. This is because she uses more energy, so she needs more stamina and caffeine, which the boba provides her. Because of this, she talks about restricting her boba intake during the fall …  although she does commonly say this while holding a cup of boba. 

Regardless, Ji insists that boba is worth any sacrifice, even if it means an empty wallet and tight jeans. Boba may not be the healthiest option, but to Ji, it sure as heck is a good option for her soul.