Deep down within the rabbit’s hole, through a doorway fit for faerie, and beyond the winding twisted gates, lies a land of unimaginable possibility amongst even the most absolute of improbabilities. Along the bounds of both this nonsensically extraordinary world and that of our own is where I perpetually straddle my own reality, and amidst each seam, standing as a golden, binding thread, rests Taylor Swift’s “Wonderland”. Although Lewis Carol’s classic tale gave birth to the outlandish universe coupled with its symbolic representation of the power of curiosity and imagination on the path to self discovery, it is Taylor Swift that set the story into a differing context meant to support those incapable of reaching true Wonderland. Between childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, lies the shaky, yet all-connecting bridge of the age of 17. While barely old enough to drive, it is the expectation that you have decided the direction of your life, and, as such, have determined the steps to get there. Well, hello, my name is Ava Neitzel, and I want to major in marketing, English, secondary education, psychology, fashion merchandising, or neuroscience on my way to becoming a psychologist, English teacher, juvenile attorney, buyer, journalist, neuroscientist, or event coordinator. In terms shorter than Tweedledee and Tweedledum, I don’t know what my life’s purpose will inevitably be. In a nutshell, potentially madder than a hatter, I’m not positive that I want to have the answer yet. I’ve “taken wrong turns” and had to retake the ACT multiple times, “fallen down the rabbit hole” spending hours researching different careers, and “spun out of control” in balancing present day life with that of preparation for the future. However, over junior year, life was also “never worse but never better”. In all of the necessary time devoted towards standardized testing and the final grades colleges will review on my transcript, there were also moments of spectacular excitement and gratification to be found in induction into the national honor society, discovering and falling in love with the college of my choice, and planning for my college dorm room. In addition, my student council won our city-wide Student Hunger Drive after raising the largest amount of donations in competition with six other schools. As a junior, I was finally able to make a direct contribution through organizing a “Parent’s Night Out” babysitting event along with school-wide “Just Because” flower sales. Through the year, I learned that it can be quite easy to fall deep into the Wonderland of solely thinking about the dream of future goals and proper preparation rather than living within the reality of the moment and taking action to achieve what is right in front of you. While it is easy to declare a future aspiration of choice, dreams are nothing without action. I can’t become an attorney or work in journalism without talking to individuals within those fields to discover new insights, studying for the current tests of high school in order to carry myself towards college, and spending hours working towards inevitably perfecting my craft in either area in order to become the best that I can be. On the other hand, I believe that it is crucial to remain wildly curious and to believe in the impossibilities of Wonderland. At any moment in time, a new door could open or a new skill or passion could present itself. All of life is “new and exciting”, so as Absolum the Caterpillar once questioned Alice, “Who am I?” “We shall see.”

It’s funny how impactful a seemingly simplistic beverage can be on one’s lifetime. Older generations may express dismay towards the younger for purchasing Starbucks due to the arguably excessive pricing and general negative connotation surrounding our current era where caffeine reigns supreme, but upon further examination, Starbucks, especially through their seasonal lines, possesses the almost magical ability to act as a strand binding together both friends and families through the creation of lasting memories. Personally, I would not exchange a single moment I’ve shared over my beloved pumpkin spice frappuccinos in order to receive even a single penny back. To begin to set the stage, it is late August 2012, the leaves are changing colors to hues of red and yellow, and there is a brisk breeze in the air blowing forth the spectacular scent of Autumn. My mom is out of town for the weekend, and my dad has decided to treat 6-year-old me to a special, secret treat. We approach the counter, and he orders two pumpkin spice frappuccinos. This moment is the first of many father-daughter days where my dad and I snuck out of the house, sat outside of Starbucks, and talked until our drinks melted down, and we ran out of even a dollop of sweetness left to sip. Nowadays, time has slipped by, my dad passed my freshman year of high school, and I am old enough to drink coffee with my mom rather than only on Starbucks outings with my dad, but one key detail has not changed. Pumpkin spice frappucinos have remained a yearly constant even now when I have moved on to enjoy with friends, both old and new, as we all exchange our favorite seasonal orders and crowd around tables after early morning decorating for the homecoming dance or before particularly difficult tests at school. As I move through life, I will always be able to go back, taste the nostalgic pumpkin spice flavoring, just as my dad first ordered it for me, and bask in memories of our old times together as well as the more recent moments I’ve spent with beloved friends. Pumpkin spice frappuccinos will forever be around to document every new memory as I move on to attend a university and take the first steps towards becoming an adult. They are not only a seasonal but a lifelong staple that go beyond the boundaries of basic delicious drink. The flavorful beverages have a unique way of bringing individuals together to create spectacular moments that result in cherished memories. Every year, as I take my first sip of my seasonal favorite, and the pumpkin spice aroma fills the air, the nostalgic scent brings forth a wave of comfort, and I am able to almost bring my dad back to life. With others, the drink produces the excuse to come together and create new memories while we sit around the table and laughs echo off the Starbucks walls creating an overall feeling of unity. The act of enjoying pumpkin spice frappuccinos together is not simply about the taste of a single beverage. The drinks serve as a medium through which relationships are strengthened, lasting bonds are created, and memories are able to be etched forever into the minds of those who experience them.