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Sophia Dela Cruz Ong

Mrs.Ebel

ERWC

17 April 2022

“Iced Latte” Integrity Essay

In a state like California where beaches and hot weather are what attracts most of its

tourists, cold drinks are one of the necessities. Especially for those who constantly need caffeine

in their body to fully function, iced latte’s are small pieces of heaven that quench your thirst in

the heat, give you the extra push for the day, and provide you with ample amounts of sugar that

serve as a little treat. Consuming iced latte’s almost everyday helped me realize how similar life

is to said drink. How the smallest change in its components can alter its overall flavor and/or

appearance, the coffee in itself contains enough background that goes way back to its bean form,

the ice that keeps the drink cold for long periods of time, and so much more. The drink in itself is

very complex and full of components that each and every one of us could compare and relate to

our personal lives.

Before coffee comes out to be what everyone comes to love in liquid form, it starts out as

a bean. Said bean will then get roasted and grinded before it's finally seeped. Similarly, we also

start out as beans, though some might prefer to call them fetuses, we are to come out to the world

and face the challenges that will continuously roast and grind us into pieces. My life as a bean

first sprouted and flourished in the beautiful soils of the Philippines. It is the place that I call

“home” to this day and the only place where I truly feel like I belong. This is why most of my

values and ideals are heavily influenced by Filipino culture, though some are now mixed with

American views as well after moving. It was about five years ago when I had to be exported to
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the United States and experience the true grinders of life. The endless insecurities, countless

culture shocks, and heavy mocking are only some of the notable challenges that I had to face but

I like to view them as the experiences that helped me grow into who I am today. After going

through many obstacles, and possibly more in the future, I’m learning that I’m slowly inching

towards being one of the best quality beans the world has yet to offer.

Much like how most would state, “After every storm, there is a rainbow”, I quickly

learned that the “grinders” that I have faced in the past happened for a reason, they are learning

experiences that help me achieve my own rainbow. To me, though only temporary, the small

portion of time when I get to enjoy the sweetness of life is what gets me through the challenges

and motivates me to keep on going. This kind of sweetness can come in different forms and

oftentimes would depend on who the individual is; much like the syrup we put in our lattes.

Everyone has their own way of making their coffee and syrup is one of those components that

make each cup slightly different from the rest. I personally enjoy my “syrup” to be extra sweet,

taking form in spending a hefty amount of time with my friends. I somehow never get tired of

seeing them almost everyday and being with them makes me glad that I pushed through all my

hardships as I wouldn’t be able to make such incredible memories with them if I simply gave up

during my lowest times. I can gladly say that they make my life a tad bit sweeter, just like the

caramel syrup that I drench my coffee with.

Another component of iced lattes that is very crucial would be the milk. No matter what

kind of milk you use for your own drink, it is the ingredient that turns coffee into a latte and

brings harmony within the drink. I would say that my “milk” or the ingredient that brings

cohesiveness and creates wholeness into my life would be my loved ones. My loved ones include

my friends, my close family, and my moms. They bring wholeness into my life because without
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them I would simply feel hollow or empty. It is being with them that I feel complete as an

individual. My loved ones always check in on me and help make sure that my goals and plans go

hand-in-hand because they are fully aware that once something goes awry, all hell breaks loose.

Not only do they complete me, they also make sure that other components of my life are

cohesive and don't clash with each other. Which is why I truly believe that they are the milk to

my latte.

Within the whole drink, the cup or tumbler would arguably be one, if not the most, of the

most important components of an iced latte. Now, some might argue that the cup would not be

considered as part of the drink, however, I believe that without the cup or tumbler holding the

liquid up, we wouldn’t even have something to call a drink as it would just be on the floor. Not

only do they hold the drink up, some cups and tumblers are also designed to prevent spillage as

much as possible. It may sound weird, but I would say that my mom is my tumbler; she not only

makes sure that I’m able to carry myself proudly everywhere but she also guides me in such a

way that everything I have worked so hard for so far wouldn’t end up in vain and all spilled on

the floor. She is that strong protection that would make sure your hand isn’t too hot or cold, the

barrier that would prevent you from making a mess, and finally, she’s that bridge that will

provide you with all the opportunities to enjoy the good things in life.

If we were to talk about endurance, it is the ice that keeps drinks cold for long periods of

time and enables beverages to endure the scorching heat. The ice guarantees that iced lattes will

be cold throughout the duration of the day. Similarly, my current assets that were passed down to

me by my grandparents guarantee security if ever I were to need some financial help in the

future. I am truly grateful for such a privilege and it is something that I will protect and treasure

forever. My grandparents decided to give me such a heritance seeing as how my mom raised me
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on her own, they thought that giving me valuable things such as properties and emergency

money would be much helpful if ever needed. This inheritance gives me assurance that whatever

it is I plan or dream of doing, I will be able to do it.

Finally, we wouldn’t be able to fully enjoy our iced lattes without the beloved straw.

Some might prefer to drink their iced lattes by sipping directly from their cups, however, there

are still quite the group of people who prefer the aid of a straw; whether it be plastic, metal,

silicone, etc. It is the straw that points and guides the coffee to our mouths making it the “bridge”

to our indulgence. In our daily lives, the “straw” could take many forms and within my own little

bubble of a life, I would say that mine would be myself. It is I who calls all the shots within my

life and makes all my dreams into reality. There have been way too many circumstances where I

have seen people discredit themselves for all the work they have done to get where they are now

but I strongly believe that we must also appreciate ourselves and take note of how much we’ve

gone through and the amount of strength/endurance that it took it all. We also deserve some kind

of validation in order to keep on going with whatever it is we are facing at the moment.