Tea-nage Bobaristas

By Amie Ahn Apr. 5, 2026

Caitlynn Sue Art

A tirelessly working barista scoops shiny, black pearls of tapioca—also known as boba—into a plastic cup, marking the start of yet another afternoon pick-me-up. He quickly fills the bottom of the cup with deep brown sugar syrup before swirling it along the sides. Ice clatters in a metal shaker as he shakes milk and tea together, and within seconds he seals another jasmine brown sugar milk tea and calls the drink over the buzz of the after-school crowd.

Working at a boba shop can be an accessible first job for many students. Motivated by his love for boba, financial freedom and work experience, Sophomore Raphael Lee has been working at T4 for about nine months. His responsibilities include taking orders, making drinks, cooking toppings, restocking ingredients and keeping the workspace clean.

“Handling numerous orders at once during rush hours was stressful, but coordinating with my coworkers helped us manage the workload. I learned to work efficiently during these periods, and constant interaction with customers and coworkers has improved my communication skills,” Lee said.

Senior Madeline Liao has years of experience as a boba barista, having worked at both T4 and Teaspoon. According to Liao, both boba chains provide positive working environments that make the fast-paced work enjoyable, as it allows her to get into a rhythm when making drinks and also comfortably practice her public speaking skills. Students like Liao at Teaspoon typically work between seven to over 16 hours per week, depending on their availability.

At boba shops like Teaspoon, students can send in their application and availability online, and once hired employees go through a structured training process. Store managers guide new workers through hands-on

training in preparing drinks and recipes until they feel confident making them independently. For Liao, the training process at Teaspoon took a little over a month.

Eva Tang, store manager of Almaden Teaspoon, helps train new staff along with overseeing daily operations and customer experience. According to Tang, student employees play an important role in many boba shops.

“Our store has a diverse team that includes many college student employees and a small portion of high school students. We value the energy and enthusiasm that students bring to the workplace,” Tang said.

Tang believes working at a boba shop can be not only a fun and rewarding job but also a valuable learning experience for students and their future careers; the fast-paced environment can teach important life skills like responsibility, teamwork, communication and time management.

“A great boba barista should be reliable, positive, and detail-oriented. Since drink preparation requires consistency, attention to detail is extremely important,” Tang said.

Students make up an important part of the boba workforce, contributing to creating a positive working

environment. Boba can be a refreshing, sweet treat for everybody, but for many students it has also opened up the working world, providing them with the first step to obtaining workplace experience and a taste of financial freedom.

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About the Contributors

Amie Ahn

Page Editor

Amie Ahn is a junior at Leland High School and a page editor for The Charger Account. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends, binging kdramas, and dancing.

Caitlynn Sue

EIC

Caitlynn Sue is a senior at Leland High School and the Opinions and Viewpoint Editor-in-Chief for The Charger Account. Aside from journalism, she loves solving math problems, dancing at 2 am, and playing with her cat.