Alumni Profile: Nicholas Kupsey '04
December 2017
It’s a morning ritual in Delaware County to stop by your local Wawa and pick up a cup of coffee on the way to start your day. Your local store is a combination meeting spot, convenience store and community epicenter that sells coffee and sandwiches in rapid sequence. One alum, Nicholas Kupsey ’04, has penned an amusing new book about his experiences while ordering from one of Delaware County’s iconic institutions.
As a local mail carrier, Nick spent many days navigating Wawa stores and parking lots on his lunch breaks. He had so many memorable encounters with customers he decided to start writing them down. Soon the concept and characters for The Five People You Meet in Wawa was developed. "The main thing I tell people about this book is that it is a direct reflection of the education I received both at the College and Upper Darby School District. I would never have had the courage to follow my dreams if I didn’t take the first step in applying to Delaware County Community College, which led to a better life."
The book chronicles the five types of people frequenting your local Wawa on a daily basis. In a short time, the book was a top 10 seller in both the “humor and entertainment” and “comic and graphic novel” e-book sections on Amazon.
“If you frequent a Wawa enough and you pay attention, you will see it’s the same people who go there. Sometimes it’s very sad, sometimes it’s funny. It's humanity is what it really is, the spectrum of humanity in a Wawa,” Kupsey says.
The book is a humorous take on the 2003 Mitch Albom best seller The Five People You Meet in Heaven, only instead of recounting stories of people he met who made an impact on his life, Nick covers his interactions with “the girl in pajamas, cops, workers, weirdoes and the ‘paying with change’ guy who is always ahead of you in line.”
Kupsey credits the College with helping him achieve his newfound celebrity author status. "I found the academic work was far superior to other institutions I had previously attended. Professor Ronald Betz, who taught English Composition II, was instrumental in my journey to becoming a writer. I honestly feel that if I didn’t take his class, we would not be talking today."
Kupsey is now working as a comedian and writer and creating podcast content. In response to the strong online sales of his book, it will soon be offered in Barnes and Noble bookstores.
We recommend you pick up a copy of The Five People You Meet in Wawa the next time you’re out buying your coffee or a Gobbler sandwich during your holiday shopping.
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