As finals week approaches, more and more of you collegiettes will be tempted to pull all-nighters in the stacks, and of course you need something tasty to keep you going. Or, you’ve just returned from a crazy formal in PCB or at the W and the likelihood of you making it to your 9:35 on Mondays is looking slim without a little pick-me-up. Where do you head for your caffeine boost? This collegiette’s done her research and picked her favorite go-to drinks from the various coffee places around campus.
Starbucks: If you’re not a regular, it might be hard to keep up with the ways that you can order. Tall? Venti? Double shot, double pump? Skinny? Black eye, red eye? If you have a sweet tooth like me, Starbucks is the way to go, and keep it simple! My go to drinks are: grande skinny vanilla spice late or a grande nonfat hazelnut macchiato. What does this translate to? A medium drink with one or two shots of expresso with foamed skim milk and sugar-free flavored syrup. Tasty and the perfect infusion of caffeine to get me going in the morning. Try them iced—very refreshing! If too much caffeine makes you jittery, ask for their top-secret size, short (smaller than their small/tall drinks).
Dunkin’ Donuts: America runs on Dunkin’! (Or so I’ve heard.) For those of you who like to drink lattes or fancier espresso-based drinks, I suggest you go elsewhere. If you’re looking for a good, filtered flavored roast, I recommend the French Vanilla roast. Their sizing is a little different and there’s a pretty big jump between their small and their medium. If you’re a freshman living near the DUC, this is the perfect place for you to run in to on your way to class. Just be warned—there can sometimes be up to fifteen minutes spent in line if you get there too close to the start of the next class block. Plus side? Coffee from Dunkin’ can be up to $2 cheaper than from Starbucks!
Jazzman’s: The Starbucks of the studious. It’s not necessarily as glamorous or hipster, but they offer a similar selection of espresso-based drinks as Starbucks does, but with fewer variations; for those of us who don’t have time to deliberate over types of coffee in between trips to the printer, this is ideal. Jazzman’s is staffed by only the loveliest of Sodexo employees, and if you go often enough, they’ll learn your name and drink order. If you’re seeking shelter from the sweltering Atlanta heat, try one of their blasts! I have it on good authority that even the manliest of men like these sweet, frozen drinks.
Einstein’s: This is by far my favorite option on campus and if it weren’t so far away in the B-school, I guarantee you I’d be there every day. They have good sizing, great filtered coffee and even better espresso-based drinks. They are one of the few places I’ve found that makes the elusive vanilla hazelnut latte—a combination of my favorite coffee flavors. If you’re stuck on what to get, go for a medium skinny (skim milk) vanilla hazelnut latte. It’s perfect every time!
Green Bean: This one’s a tough one. The coffee they serve is well-priced and well-sized but it’s certainly different from anything I’ve ever tasted and I finally figured out why: it’s real coffee. It’s not like the sugary, watered down stuff most of us are used to. I hear their hot chocolate is to die for, however.
And now, the dark horse of the competition… or should I say dark “donkey’?
Blue Donkey Coffee makes a welcome visit on campus once a week at the farmer’s market. Specializing in sweet iced coffee, there is always a line running all the way down Cox Bridge to get a cup of it. Their original, almond, and Four 65 are some crowd favorites. Just to make things a little sweeter, bottled original Blue Donkey coffees are now served in Cox Dining Hall and Rollins Café, as well as a few other locations on campus!
With this information, you are now completely ready for finals week–or at least know how to stay awake through it all!