I've collected Starbucks cups for 12 years. I've never seen anything like the Bearista craze.

Yolanda Cole, a 45-year-old woman, has been collecting Starbucks merchandise for 12 years. Recently, she awoke at 3:30 am to secure a mystery Bearista cup from her neighborhood Starbucks. Collecting these mementos brings her joy. This essay, an "as-told-to" piece, recounts her experience with the Bearista craze. The collection began with studded cups, but the Bearista launch changed her routine.

Initially, she arrived at her local Starbucks at 5:30 am, only to find the bears had already been sold. However, she stumbled upon a soccer bear cup celebrating FIFA, which she found even more charming. Her excitement reached new heights when she learned about a Strawberry Bearista cup, prompting a 4:30 am arrival at the store. The Snoopy Bearista cup, however, drew a shorter line, yielding her greatest nostalgia.

As the news of subsequent mystery drops spread across Facebook groups, Cole's anticipation grew. On Tuesday, she woke up at 3:30 am, drove to the nearest Starbucks, and joined a line of 20 people. As the fourth in line, she found herself in a diverse community of collectors and resellers. Despite the presence of opportunistic buyers, Cole secured her cup, a whimsical white bear that transforms blue upon liquid contact.

She was overjoyed upon receiving her cup and spread her happiness on social media, connecting with others who found solace in these small cups of joy amidst life's struggles.