By Caroline Harvey
Copy Editor
This past summer when I came back to campus to assist with a writing conference, I was met with a deep disappointment—the Coca-Cola vending machines, which I had known and loved, were gone. In their stead was a fleet of Pepsi machines, wider spread than the Coke ones I had relied on for the past three years at Washington College.
Some may think I’m dramatic for making a big deal out of a simple switch in distributor, but many people get hung up on the Coke vs. Pepsi debate. I do understand the pragmatic reasons for this switch. I know that Pepsi is cheaper than Coke, and so it makes more economic sense for WC to provide Pepsi products instead. They’re not so different from each other, right? Wrong.
According to Malcolm Gladwell’s “Blink,” Pepsi products are “characterized by a citrusy flavor burst, unlike the more raisiny-vanilla taste of Coke.” I personally find Diet Pepsi far too sweet, which makes it remarkably unappealing to me. The difference in flavors between Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke are pronounced enough to be argued over.
The main thing I get hung up on in regards to this switch is not actually the difference between Coke and Pepsi; rather, it’s the suddenness. I was not expecting a change, and I don’t remember being warned of one. This lack of transparency bothers me, as I know that if I had any opportunity to voice my concern, I would have.
When I took an evening class my sophomore year of college, we always had a five-minute break during which I took the elevator to the basement of Smith and bought myself a Diet Coke. This always helped me survive through the final hour of the class as I began to mentally fade. That Coke machine saved me on many long evenings.
In the grand scheme of things, I know this is not a big deal. I know that I can buy myself a Diet Coke from Sophie’s Café or from the bookstore in the Casey Academic Center, but I wish I could still rely on the various vending machines around campus to supply me with my Diet Coke fix.
It’s not just the difference between Coke and Pepsi that bothers me. I’m extremely nostalgic for those old Coke machines, and seeing Pepsi machines in their place in the buildings on campus bothers me.
Not only does this change remind me of the ways the College likes to make changes very suddenly and without warning; it also reminds me of how small I am on this campus. It’s a physical reminder that time has passed, that I am getting older, and that everything changes, even my beloved Coke machines.