The World's Greatest Drink
by Riley Holcomb
photography courtesy of Pexels
College is difficult. There are 8 a.m. classes, essays due every other week, office hours and other daily stresses. It can be hard to get all your work done in between club meetings and sports games, but there’s one special item that students can always rely on in order to survive college: coffee.
Coffee can be mixed with syrups, creams or sugars to give the consumer the perfect taste they are craving. It can be served hot, in order to warm someone up on a snowy day, or served iced, to cool someone down during a boiling hot summer day. No matter the type, size or flavor, coffee is the one drink almost everyone can depend on to give them the extra energy they need.
There are three different types of people associated with coffee. There are “the addicts,” “the regulars” and “the haters.”
“The addicts” are the people who cannot go a single day without at least one cup of coffee. There’s always either a mom, a dad, a friend or even a teacher who always seems to have a coffee in their hand. They say they cannot live without it; it is the superpower that gives them the energy they need to survive.
Wyatt Greiner (Questrom ‘22) said he fits into this category.
“I owe my high school diploma to coffee,” Greiner said. “One time I bought a Nespresso machine in the middle of class because it went on sale. I love coffee so much, I got a job at Starbucks.”
These so-called “addicts” can be found in a local cafe or in one of the many Starbucks located on campus. They’re found in these places more often than in their own dorm room. These coffee shops are their second homes, their sanctuaries.
Joshua Martin (COM ‘22) holds the caffeinated drink so dearly to his heart, he jokingly referred to it as his other hand.
“Coffee is my significant other,” Martin said. “We have lunch together, we spend dinner time together. Coffee cheers me up and supports me in my academic and creative endeavors. We are a full-fledged couple.”
Following “the addicts” are “the regulars.” These are the types of people who drink a cup of coffee every once in a while, when they need that burst of energy to get through a particularly long and tiring day. They don’t rely on it, but instead, they see it as more of a nice treat or a change from their usual beverage.
However, this is still a dangerous group to be in because these people are the ones who are most likely to become an addict. They’re just one step away from going from a once-a-week coffee drinker to a once-a-day coffee drinker. They require self-control. Without it, “the regulars” will be immersed into the dark side and welcomed into a new group called “the addicts.”
Lastly, there are “the haters.” These are the people who either despise the taste of coffee or see it as a drink that they can easily control. They’re anti-coffee consumers who prefer other drinks like tea or kombucha to satisfy their cravings.
“Coffee just doesn’t taste as good as tea, and I feel like you have to add ungodly amounts of sugar so drinking it is bearable,” said Riva Akolawala (COM ‘22).
“The haters” have two paths they can take: continue on the road of disliking coffee, or be transformed into a regular coffee drinker. Some are strong enough to continue drinking their tea or other coffee substitutes, while others are subjected to the magic of just a coffee bean.
Coffee is a special drink. The caffeine rush can help one form stronger relationships, finish their late-night assignments or cause one to drain their wallet. No matter which group one is in, coffee will always have a place in this world. It will continue to serve as a superpower needed in order to survive college, work or just life in general.