As long as I can remember, my family has been in love with Coca-Cola. Sonic has always be the sacred place of this bubbly drink. My grandma even enjoys them multiple times a day. The usual routine is to order our drink and compare it to the ones we’ve had in the past, always wishing there were more fizz in the drink. I only ever take a few sips. I have noticed that a little gives me an extra boost to get through the day, but I try to avoid drinking caffeine too regularly because it is so addicting.

Last year, I thought maybe I should quit drinking it, and replace it with water instead. I did a pretty good job at drinking lots of water, but I noticed without the refreshing sips in the morning, it was harder to get through the day. At first I was falling asleep in classes; then the headaches came, making me very irritable. However, after a while, all the headaches went away and it became a lot easier to get through the day.

Considering how much my family drinks of it, I thought maybe I should try and convince my family members to drink less Coke, since it can damaging to your health. I knew this wouldn’t be easy at all. My grandma and her four sisters have been drinking Coke since they were teenagers, so it’s rare to see them without one in hand.

First, I started with my grandma. She is a dialysis nurse, which has to do with filtering the kidneys. I thought for sure she would understand that she needs to cut down on the Route 44’s, however Coke is like coffee in my family. Without it, it’s hard for them to function. In some sort of way I knew how they felt, so I decided to live their lives and joke with them about it instead.

My family is pretty big, which means there are plenty of good stories going around all of the time. My favorite Coke story is from when my cousin was little during hurricane Katrina. The roads were closed, giving him no access to Coke. My great aunt told her to quickly run outside and scream at the helicopters above to please bring some Coke. Although he yelled with all his heart and soul, they sadly had to wait about a week before they got to drink soda again.

Somehow, Coke is always popping up in my life. Whenever I open the fridge, they’re staring me down. Going to family parties, they rest in the icy cooler in full abundance. My grandma even keeps a couple spares in the back of her car. The soda has become a familiar face in my life, and I accept it fully.

Although I have cut down on the amount of soda I drink very drastically, I don’t think I will ever stop drinking it. Coca-Cola is like a member of my family; we have memories and laughs together. It has helped me get through the rough days, and my family and I are always waiting to welcome it home with open arms.