Coffee, Homework, and Health Insurance Headaches

Sometimes you just need to get out of the house. Not for anything glamorous—just for sanity, space, and maybe a refillable cup of caffeine. Today’s study session is brought to you by Starbucks lobby seating, where the coffee is endless (if you know the hack).

Okay, I didn’t know either, but apparently if you hang out in-store and buy a drink using the Starbucks app or card, you can get free refills on brewed coffee (hot or iced) and teas. Yes. Free. Refills. No shame here—we’re starting with a fancy little specialty drink to set the mood, then switching to something on the refill list once that’s gone. Honestly, this might be the smartest thing Starbucks has ever done. Bribing me with caffeine? It’s working.

It’s the weekend, which means I’m trying to get ahead on homework and also mentally prep for my EGD on Tuesday. The good news? No wild prep like the colonoscopy (bless that trauma). I just have to stop eating and drinking after midnight Monday. No biggie. I’ll take that win.

Now onto the real drama: health insurance. Let me just say, they don’t wanna pay for anything. You basically have to complete a medical scavenger hunt before they even consider helping out. Step one: see at least three specialists. Step two: get billed double copays. Step three: get knocked out for two different procedures. Step four: toss in an MRI for good measure. Once you’ve crossed those off your medical bingo card, congrats! You’ve maybe met your deductible.

The silver lining? I’ve already done all that. So, if there’s anything else that needs to be checked out, we’d better do it before the ball drops on New Year’s and the deductible resets, like some cruel joke.

But for now, I’ve got coffee, my laptop, and a little peace and quiet away from the house. It’s not glamorous, but it’s exactly what I needed.