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A high-fructose addiction

Not just any frosty drink will do.

Published July 7, 2010

Remember your first day of kindergarten? Recall the nerves you felt as you began the epic, 13-year passage in the book of your life? My beginning was easy. I jumped out of the car, waved goodbye to my parents and went on my way. Sure, the nerves were killing me, but I mustered up the courage to smile and make friends. My dearest Mom picked me up from school and suggested we seek a reward for my successful first day.

We stopped by the local 7-Eleven, where she ushered me to the Slurpee machine and filled a cup with the frozen concoction, just for me. Little did I know, this reward would be an indulgence, sticking with me for years to come.

A quick note of disclaimer: a Slurpee is not a “slushee.” Yes, the principle of both drinks is similar, but the quality and overall tastiness of a Slurpee far surpasses that of a slushee.

As the flavor of frozen Pepsi touched my taste buds for the first time, through the long, green straw, I knew I was hooked. I was in quick-stop beverage euphoria. I returned day after day, sometimes multiple times a day, to get my sweet, frosty fix. A Slurpee after a long day at school? Sure. After (and sometimes during) cross country practice? Of course. Before getting my tan on at the pool, also known as “lifeguarding”? Guaranteed. Much like my morning coffee before classes, Slurpees are my summer pick-me-up and cool-me-down.

Two hot summers ago, I strolled into the local 7-Eleven near my home, filled my cup (lid on before filling -- you get more that way) and went to pay at the counter. The cute, brunette working the counter scanned my cup and pressed the sale button on the cash register.

“Ninety-three cents,” she said.

That statement was almost too good to be true. My favorite drink, usually $1.75, cost less than $1 for the entire summer. Not only was this generous shift in price helping my bank account and piggy bank, it also fed my habit. I would throw on some trunks, sunglasses, hop in my car and get a Slurpee before going to work at the pool. Sitting outside all day, I would easily lose hydration. Slurpees were my beverages of choice during breaks as well. And nothing defines summer nights quite like a walk around the town while gazing at the stars, cold drink in hand.

As a matter of fact, friends from my hometown have noted that it’s rare to see me without a Slurpee. This vice, 14 years in the making, has influenced my appetite for frosty beverages, my coin-saving and coin-hunting techniques, and my first Hotmail account name (sad, but true).

It’s a nostalgic, insignificant tradition, but I’ve maintained a Slurpee diet in my life to keep me cool in the summer, comfortable in my hot, winter home and to remember an incredible start to my years of grade school. Columbia might not have a 7-Eleven, but I can ensure you I get my Slurpee fix when I visit home.