10 Stages Of Waiting For The PSL To Arrive

The best things in life are often worth the wait, and that especially applies to Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte. The only thing that can fill the PSL void in your life is the warm, tender comfort of everyone's favorite spiced Starbucks beverage — no substitutes will do. Your lips probably ache with a sense of longing for that first sip, when you delve into the combo of steamed milk and espresso, infused with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove, and topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice. Reuniting with your go-to drink is all you can think about as its return date inches ever closer, though you're not sure exactly when it will arrive. You tentatively mark your calendar when you think it might get here, but not knowing for sure makes things even worse. How are you going to survive the next few weeks?

If you are a true fan, the four seasons unfold as follows: winter, spring, summer, PSL season. When this baby hits the menu in late August or early September, nothing else matters. You wait the majority of the year for the pumpkin spice latte to come back into your sweet, open arms, and you honestly don't remember what life was even like before Starbucks introduced the drink back in 2003.

Since its debut, the latte has attracted quite the frothy fandom, and if you're one of the dedicated patrons eagerly waiting for it to just get here already, then you know just what it feels like to be so close, yet so far away. These 10 stages of waiting for the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte to return should feel all too familiar.

1. You try to drink other caffeinated beverages, but you only have eyes for one

Anything else just doesn't cut it.

2. You start adding pumpkin pie spice to pretty much everything

Oatmeal, cakes, ice cream, yogurt, waffles — you name it. Everything is better with pumpkin spice, and that is an undisputed fact.

3. In fact, you'll only eat things that are pumpkin spice-flavored

It's all you think about. Pumpkin spice Oreos, M&Ms, hummus, cereal, and even beer are all fair game.

4. You longingly search pumpkin spice latte TBT hashtags on Instagram and Twitter

So you can remember back to when times were simpler, and life consisted of plentiful PSLs.

5. You feel like the official pumpkin spice latte Twitter account is taunting you with all of its "clues"

Every time you see a new tweet, your heart skips a beat, and time freezes for a few seconds.

6. You call your nearest Starbucks regularly to see if the PSL is back yet

Your shaking fingers couldn't dial fast enough.

7. You get angry when you realize it isn't

"What do you mean you have the syrup for it, but it's not officially offered yet?!"

8. You cope by trying to make a pumpkin spice latte yourself

Sure, there are plenty of pumpkin spice latte recipes to be found. But only Starbucks can make it just right.

9. You start to mourn the end of PSL season before it even begins

The magical taste and aroma of pumpkin spice lattes are short-lived, and even though you have yet to take your first PSL sip of the season, it makes you sad to think how it will be but a distant memory come January.

10. You realize that one way or another, you will get through this

You may not have a PSL in your hand right now, but you will soon. It's only a matter of time before the pumpkin spice latte makes its triumphant return, and while waiting has been an emotionally exhausting experience, you know your patience will be rewarded in the end.

Images: Matt DeTurk/Flickr; Giphy (10)