With the opening of San Ramon’s new City Center, one spot within the shopping center that is sure to remain popular is San Francisco’s renowned Boba Guys.

While every other store seems to have few visitors but the employees themselves, the line at Boba Guys extends a good distance from the cafe itself, resembling something similar to a herd of grazing cattle. 

Similar to the different stages of grief, there are four stages to the acquisition of a Boba Guys drink.

First comes excitement. Every kid, adult, and senior citizen excitedly runs into the line, anticipating only a short wait until they can finally taste the tapioca drink they have heard legendary stories about.

“I was so enthusiastic about going to Boba Guys since it opened at City Center,” said Cal High junior Yashi Modi, who admitted that she too was one of those who energetically ran toward the line when she first visited the new spot.

 Then comes agitation. Suddenly, foreheads are creased and mouths are clenched shut as people question if coming here was the right idea. 

“I think the lines are too long and it’s overrated for such a small amount of boba,” said sophomore Sanya Khan who made her brother bring her a drink because she didn’t want to wait in the long line. 

As time in the line goes by, the once cheery mood is now somber, resembling that of the doordash drivers stuck outside the Cheesecake Factory on Dec 5, with free cheescake in hand. 

The public watches longingly at those already inside with a drink in their hand and the scene almosts looks like one of those sad cheesy movies Netflix has been pumping out a lot recently.

“I think the longest I’ve had to wait was 30-40 minutes [to order my drink],” junior Ethan Bea said.

The third stage to the acquisition of a drink is called The Wait. Dust settles on the various cars parked in the parking garage, and the sun seems to have both set and risen numerous times within the span of standing in one Boba Guys line.

It’s almost as if people have been stuck in the same position for so long that each one now resembles the Hunchback of Notre Dame. You thought Falcons fans looked distressed after blowing a 28-3 lead? Wait until you see how defeated these people look. 

The final stage of attainability hits when a person is able to put their straw to their mouth and taste the sweet product of their patience. Each tapioca ball they feast on signifies one lifetime they spent in the Boba Guys line, and every sip they take represents a sip they could’ve taken hours earlier at a T4 or Share Tea location. But every sip of the Boba guys drink is worth the generations spent in the line. 

For many people, aging to be as old as Yoda for a drink at Boba Guys is actually worth it. 

“You can tell it’s really high quality and they put effort into their drinks,” said junior Angela Kan.

Kan may be slightly biased since she recently was hired to work at Boba Guys herself.  Most people seem to agree with her.

The line at Boba Guys may contain more people that Donald Trump’s inauguration did, but it is highly suggested that every City Center visitor swings by Boba Guys to try the drinks that have captured the youth of today. 

Just remember to pack a snack or two, and maybe an overnight bag for the line because it will definitely be a long stay.