Susan Gonzalez is obsessed with it.
The second-year UF telecommunications major needs it to wake up in the morning. She doesn't stop there, either. She'll have it twice more to push through the rest of her day.
When it comes to caffeine, students mean business.
Starbucks, which has five locations on campus, will introduce its newest cup size, Trenta. The extra serving of coffee could have implications for UF students.
According to a Starbucks spokeswoman, the 31-fluid ounce cup will be available nationwide by May 3, and the company has already released it in 14 states, including Florida on Jan. 18.
After receiving customer feedback, online and in stores, Starbucks discovered that customers were requesting a bigger cup for cold, iced beverages.
The spokeswoman, who declined to give her name, said it is typical for Starbucks to designate beverages for specific sizes, such as its Starbucks Vivanno Smoothies, which are only available in a Grande (16 fluid ounces) cup.
Market research indicated that customers would easily upgrade their beverage amount if given the choice, so the Trenta was increasing satisfaction and answering a demand, she said.
College life fosters new habits, including caffeine dependency, to help students manage full course loads and busy schedules. On-campus Starbucks locations keep students caffeinated and moving, but the convenience of the frequent coffee drinking can have dangerous effects.
Lori Solano, clinical dietician and private consultant, said coffee plays a part in more than one aspect of students' lives.
Caffeine allows for sleep-deprived students to focus on their academics, she said, and local coffeehouses provide them with opportunities to socialize and network.
Although students use coffee with good intentions, Solano said the intake places more stress on the body - particularly, its kidneys, heart and central nervous system function.
The creation of the Trenta cup size permits caffeine consumption to persist. Solano said the cup size is unsafe because it provides people with a way to indulge with their potentially dangerous fix.
"It encourages more caffeine use," she said. "The body begins to crave it like an addictive drug."
Despite its negative effects, Solano expects it to be popular among the student population because of its excess and appeal.
"The more that's available, the more that will be consumed - it's a simple case of supply and demand," she said.
It is common for American culture to be associated with indulgence, where bigger homes, portions and choices are the norm. Consumers are consistently demanding ‘the next big thing,' and corporations are willing to increase satisfaction by offering it.
In the U.S., these larger portions are not only socially acceptable, but they are desirable, said Alan Cooke, a UF associate professor of marketing.
According to Cooke, Starbucks' decision to offer a larger dose of caffeine is an economically wise choice.
"If there's a segment of the market that values larger sizes, for whatever reason, it makes sense that Starbucks would want part of that market," he said.
Cooke said the cup size may increase profits for Starbucks by requiring less packaging and content and more ice. Consumers may also perceive the Trenta as having a greater value, and the company may use the new size to keep people in the stores for longer periods of time.
The product will allow Starbucks to appeal to underserved populations and reach new markets, Cooke said. These "Big Gulp-consumers" will support the larger size and could help increase the company's influence against competitors.
As seasons change and the temperature rises, it is likely that Trenta sales will increase for iced drinks - but only to an extent. All in all, Cooke said he does not expect the product to impact the Starbucks enterprise on a great scale.
"It's just a new size of iced drink after all. It's neither the solution to world hunger, nor a herald of the apocalypse," he said.
Several news outlets have mocked the Trenta and its widespread hype. Articles and diagrams have drawn attention to its size, comparing how the volume of the new cup, 916 milliliters, surpasses the capacity of the average human stomach, which can hold about 900 milliliters of liquid.
Brinkley Clark, a UF sports management sophomore, said Starbucks created the Trenta to add variety to its selection of products. However, she is concerned that the amount is too much for human consumption.
"If it's too much for the human stomach, I don't think it's a good idea," she said. "I'd never even order a Venti."
Consumer preferences will vary, and time will determine the success of the newest addition to the Starbucks family.
Despite her liking for a good cup of Java, Susan Gonzalez said she will stick with smaller sizes for her drinks. She feels the Trenta is extravagant, and it is an unnecessary increase for Starbucks.
"It's just something extra, something different," she said. "It's another way to advertise - they want to get us talking about it and trying it."
