Students huddled over textbooks and laptops, plastic cups of water at their side. Business men staring intently at 16-inch screens with a cold, half-empty cup of coffee at their side. College students stare blankly at the textbooks and notes spread. Places like Starbucks and Panera are often home to students and business men, all using the free wi-fi. But as we bask in the glory of our free internet, coffee joints around Cupertino have been shutting down their wi-fi. While some students are horrified at the new policies, I approve.

Some people that bring their laptops into these coffee places are simply taking up space, and using their computer screen as a substitute for human interaction. These coffee joints have become a place to work, rather than a place to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee and a scone. Franchises are doling out free wi-fi, and they are expecting customers to buy their goods as they use it. If we don't start buying muffins and iced-teas as we use up their wi-fi, we should be prepared to lose our privilege.

Yes, privilege.

Since this is a privilege, it shouldn't be taken for granted. We will suffer the consequences if this continues. If we constantly take up space and prevent these shops from gaining new customers, we can only expect a cut on our free wi-fi as an attempt by the business to jostle us out of our seats. Some coffee places already place limits on their internet, while others have it completely free. 

We, as students, should appreciate what we have. If students simply come to take up space without buying, we shouldn't be surprised when free wi-fi becomes a thing of the past. Businesses are shutting down their wi-fi in order to keep a flow of customers moving throughout their store.

When students go into coffee places just to use the wi-fi, they are being selfish. They are taking up the space that could be used by families trying to spend time together. They are sucking money out of the business. As a result of these individual groups, all of us may lose our free wi-fi. It would be simpler for students to just buy items from the shop, or go to the library, which also offers free wi-fi.

One can only imagine how irritating it must be for a manager when the only business comes from  business men who sustain themselves for hours and hours with only one cup of coffee, and student groups who spend hours, yet only one sips on ice water. Their reimbursement is insignificant compared to their loss, while the wi-fi is sucking money out of the business by the minute. If we don't begin buying rounds of lattes for our study groups, we may lose our free wi-fi, and we will have only ourselves to blame.