As a college student, I’ve found myself at a coffee shop studying or hanging with friends more than once. But just like anything else, different coffee places have different vibes. It’s the reason you love it or hate it. And if there is a place I’ve spent more time in than a coffee shop, it’s sitting in lectures on campus.
On a huge campus like the University of Florida, you meet a lot of new and interesting people. But what I’ve found is that there are some types of kids I’ve meet around campus that remind me a little too much of my favorite places to get coffee. Here are a few:
1. Patticakes
As soon as you walk into either location (Halie Village or Downtown), you instantly feel welcomed. It’s definitely the place you would go to grab coffee with a friend. With its inviting, family-friendly vibe it instantly reminds you of the popular kid who’s EVERYONE’S friend. You know who I’m talking about, the girl who comes to college and seems like her life is organized and all figured out as a freshman. It’s the student who knew exactly what she wanted to do, she never switched majors. But no matter what, they love their family and friends a lot and can always make time to meet up with them during their hectic schedule.
2. Pascal’s Coffeehouse
It seems like no matter the time of day or time of semester, it is almost impossible to find a seat. We all know that person. It’s the girl whose snapchat is almost exclusively her in the library. She’s the girl that always have an assignment due or an exam to study for. When you walk in to Pascal’s, you automatically know that this isn’t a grab-and-go coffee shop. It’s the place that begs you to settle in (if you can find a seat) for hours and hours. Everyone is constantly productive and accomplishing goals left and right.
3. Maude’s Café
Maude’s is nestled in the center of the downtown Gainesville. The cool artsy downtown vibe continues in on the dark inside of the coffee shop. As soon as you step inside, you get a feel for the regulars. They are the kind of kids who go against the grain of pop culture. You’ve probably met them or had to do an assignment with them. It’s the group of kids who listen to underground bands, loves High Dive concerts and are infatuated with cult classic movies. Maude’s is a little artsy, and it’s definitely all about the vibe.
4. Volta Coffee, Tea & Chocolate
We all have that one person we’ve lived with, met or seen on campus who is the obvious trendsetter. Similarly, the same feeling can be found when you hang at Volta. It’s hip, cutting-edge and clean-cut. There is a certain progressive, new age vibe at Volta that reminds me of the trendsetters you see strutting around campus. They are the kids that wear stylish, well-planned outfits to class and probably have all the newest tech (including the new iPhone X).
5. Curia on the Drag
When Curia comes to mind, I think of small, cozy and alternative. It’s reminiscent of the kids you meet who are vegan, and love to tell you that they are vegan. Curia has an earthy atmosphere, that isn’t earthy earthy but more of a hippy vibe. Curia is the college student you meet that loves the Earth, but maybe a little too much. They sometimes wear Earth conscious shirts and love to sit on the Plaza of the Americas while they eat Krishna lunch. Curia on the Drag is located next to Wards, an all organic, healthy and local grocery store, and it’s no surprise that it seems to be an extension of that.
Where do you like to get coffee in GNV? Let us know in the comments below!