History teacher Laura Stiles is known by students, teachers, friends, and family for her sweet treat: Long John donuts.
“Last year, for my birthday, my friends made me a Long John cake,” Stiles said. “It’s just like a dozen Long Johns all stacked up [on top of each other] with candles. [I posted it and] I had so many comments on Facebook. People are like, ‘I’m going to make a donut cake.’”
Stiles gets a kick out of the sugar found in these donuts, but the sugar, which can be more addicting than cocaine, according to Stiles, is the reason she started eating these donuts and the reason she is giving up her sweet treat.
Stiles appreciates how a sweet treat helps her get through the long school day. Stiles has also noticed how students benefit from a sweet treat or sweet drink.
“I think a little bit of sugar throughout the day kind of keeps you going a little bit,” Stiles said. “I definitely think people are using coffee drinks [from] Starbucks [as their sweet treat]. [Personally], I’m just a sucker for Diet Coke.”
Sophomore Lydia Morey proved Stiles correct, meaning her favorite sweet treat is Starbucks. Depending on the season, you can find Lydia drinking an iced peppermint mocha with cold foam, a pumpkin chai, or an acai strawberry lemonade.
Starbucks is a common sweet treat, especially since the caffeine in the drinks helps students like Lydia get through the school day. Lydia loves Starbucks for its caffeine, taste, and memories.
“I just love Starbucks in general,” Lydia said. “I go there a lot. I spend a lot of money there, which I probably shouldn’t, but it’s kind of like a memory. I always used to go there as a kid and get hot chocolate and stuff, and it’s just a nice little pick me up.”
Lydia spends a copious amount of money at Starbucks but not alone. Her sister is her partner in crime when it comes to getting a sweet treat.
It’s not just coffee that the two get out of their sweet treat runs, Lydia and her sister also get to spend time together. When Lydia needs a pick-me-up, she goes and asks her sister before anyone else.
“Normally [I go get Starbucks with] my sister because she has to drive me there,” Lydia said. “Shout out to [junior] Maya [Morey]. I always have to ask her first because I don’t have my license yet. So, normally, we get Starbucks together, and we sit there and talk.”
Like Lydia, Senior Ella Piontkowsky adores sharing a sweet treat with her sisters. Her family has always participated in the sweet treat trend; it is a custom to have dessert after dinner, mostly because their grandma made them wait to have a treat until after dinner. Her go-to sweet treat is a concrete mixer from Culvers or cookie dough, but if she is going, she has to ask her sisters if they want one too.
Now, Ella has a sweet treat as dessert after dinner or she uses sweet treats as a reward system for herself or for the kids she babysits. Sweet treats help Ella get through her day and through studying.
“Sometimes, I [use sweet treats as a reward system]. If I’m studying or doing homework, I’m like, ‘Okay, if I get so many questions done, I can get a sweet treat,’” Ella said. “Or, if I’m bored but I’m not hungry for a full meal, I’ll go get some ice cream or something.”
Ella finds that sweet treats have always been around, but because of TikTok, they just have a name now. She also believes sweet treats are important and relevant because they can serve as a good reward system since they can be so motivating.
“I think [a sweet treat is] a good reward system because it’s something I always look forward to,” Ella said. “For babysitting or something, I’d always be like, ‘Well, if you eat your vegetables, you get desserts’ or something like that. I feel like I do the same thing with myself to get myself through the day or to do certain tasks I don’t want to do—especially with school. Right after school, I’m like, ‘Okay, I need a sweet treat.’”
Sweet treats are motivation, whether it be a Long John, a Starbucks drink, a concrete mixer, or cookie dough. They get you through the day or get you to complete a task. You can start or end your day with one, or both, whatever helps the day go by easier—that is what sweet treats are for.
“You know, [a sweet treat] can make you happier,” Lydia said. “It’s fun. They taste good and [your treat] can give you a little serotonin.”
