By Megan Brown
Student Reporter
Northwestern students recite their coffee orders to her while she scribbles instructions on the sides of cups and tries to keep up with the growing line.
Irys Pollock is the Starbucks barista on campus that students see behind the counter in the Ranger Market.
She pumps syrups, steams milk and lays out samples of the new drink while keeping everyone’s orders straight. As the rush between classes came to an end she scrambled to clean her station and stock the ingredients to prepare for the next wave of students. When she isn’t behind the counter, she spends time relaxing at home with her husband and dog.
Pollock attended Northwestern and plans to return to finish her degree when the time is right. As the line returned, Pollock hustled around the market to run the register in between drinks, but she was stopped by the small movements the mom-to-be had experienced.
In the middle of the busy day, she held her hand to her stomach and a smile crossed her face “very active today,” she said to herself. Pollock and her husband, whom she met on campus, are expecting their first child in July. They have been married for a year and a half and both come from large families.
They are excited to expand their family. The rush died down but returned soon after as the lunch hour began. Pollock went right back to smiling at customers, taking orders and making coffee creations. She enjoys her job as a barista but hopes to someday complete a humanities degree and put it to use.
“My favorite thing about working here is how friendly everyone is.”