I went to a Mid-Autumn Festival event that was hosted by some Asian cultural clubs this semester. Their flyers were all around campus, saying there would be games, moon cakes and boba provided.

I came in 15 minutes after the event started, and I realized the boba was already gone. Most people who came did not stay for the games or moon cake making. They just left directly after grabbing a cup of boba. 

I did not stay either after realizing there was no food and drink left. On my way walking to Sherman, I saw my friend who was walking towards where the event was held. “There’s no boba left,” I told her.

She sighed loudly and turned back in the direction of her dorm. I was sure that even the ant passing by could hear her disappointment in the sigh. 

This event was not the only one that had the boba run out quickly. According to my observation, if you want to grab a cup of boba at a club event, you have to come at least within the first 10 minutes after it starts. For some larger events, there could be even a line for food and drink before the door opens.

I do not understand why boba suddenly became so popular in America. Originating from Taiwan, boba used to be a drink that was exclusively popular among East Asians. I went to a boarding high school in Maryland. I remember how my Chinese friends and I complained about how much we missed home because we could only get authentic boba in China. In my senior year of high school, a Kung Fu Tea opened in the plaza 10 minutes away from my school. I remember the excitement we all had when we heard this news. Even though Kung Fu Tea was considered the “Americanized” boba place (based on the hard-to-adjust sweetness of their drinks and we do not have this brand in China), it was still primarily Asian faces that showed up in the shop. 

Then COVID-19 happened and I went back home for a year and a half. When I came back to the US for college, I was very surprised that so many boba shops had opened and the consumers shifted from primarily Asians to the entire Gen Z population. Not to mention bigger cities with multiple chain stores that originated from Taiwan or Mainland China, even in a small town like Waltham, there are three to four different boba shops to choose from. The price of boba also rose a lot. Three years ago, a boba was about the same price as a grande Starbucks drink. Three years later, a medium cup of boba could be as much as six to eight dollars depending on what toppings you add. As the North American boba market grew, the variety of boba expanded from the most basic milk tea to fruit tea, milk cap and slushie. Besides the regular brown sugar boba, multiple toppings like aloe, pudding, or even different types of fruit boba can be added to the drink. It is the consumer who has to pay the price of the rapid evolution of this drink.

My favorite moment is when the staff at the boba shop hand over a fresh-made drink to me. The boba at the bottom is still hot, but the ice milk tea cools down the temperature of my palm. The sound of the straw poking through the plastic lid is music to my ears. With everything being said, it is still unable to find a solid reason why boba suddenly dominated the whole American youth population. Well, consuming sugar can bring people happiness, and boba is sweet. No matter where you are from, you always want happiness, don’t you?