I made a vow that I would not give into the craze of coffee when I started college. Throughout high school, I witnessed friends fail in the battle of caffeine consumption, scooping up the remains of their wallets with yellow stained grimaces.
Yes, I’ll admit it, I would occasionally steal a sip or two from whatever syrupy drink my friend in first period would be clutching like a lifeline, but I would never buy coffee for myself. For a non-coffee drinker, walking into a coffee shop and looking up at the board to order feels like deciphering another language. Small, medium and large don’t exist. Macchiato, latte, frappuccino, all of these names sound like a jumble of randomly strung together syllables.
Courtesy: Fortune
My aversion to the beloved drink of America wasn’t due to reasons of health concerns or cost or confusion, but because of a genuine dislike in its taste. No matter what kind of espresso drink I was offered, no matter the temperature or how heavy-handed the use of sweeteners, I couldn’t shake the bitter taste. The taste of coffee was as overwhelming as the experience of ordering it and I decided to stay clear of it.
“You don’t drink coffee? Give it a semester, and you will.”
No, thank you.
I got through my first semester of college coffee, and caffeine, free. I didn’t drink coffee, I never had a thing for energy drinks and after an allergy discovery, I had to give up soda. I powered through exams and late night papers on sleep deprivation and second winds. But even so, I couldn’t escape coffee completely.
College coffee culture is a real thing. In college, coffee is more than just a drink. It’s a lifestyle. It’s more than just appeasing a caffeine addiction or to wake up for an early class. It has a social element.
I was taken back by how infused student life and coffee really is, even for those who don’t enjoy it consuming it.
Need a place to study? Go to one of the three Starbucks locations on campus.
Want to kill time between class? Go get coffee.
Meet someone new? Ask them to go get coffee.
It really is only a matter of time before espresso becomes a part of your daily routine.
My first time trying to order at Florida State University’s double-sided Starbucks, a place famous for being the first of its kind, was an absolute mess. I panicked, stumbled through an order and accidentally spent five dollars on something I didn’t actually like. The next time was not better. Much to my friends’ amusement, I would listen to what the person ahead of me in line ordered, jot it down on my phone and parrot it back at the barista.
I’ve been in a casual relationship with coffee for about three months now, giving into it with a When in Rome mentality. Do as the natives do. After a few late night study sessions and a handful of early morning adventures when the 24-hour coffee place on campus is closed, I’ve found myself less critical of the coffee phenomenon. In a unique way, coffee brings people together.
I still don’t understand the appeal of drinking coffee itself. I will never get to a Gilmore Girls level of coffee appreciation or intake, but honestly, does anyone actually like coffee that much? Yet I do understand why people do.
I don’t like coffee and I never will, but the coffee culture at college has, oddly enough, been beneficial to me. It has introduced me to new people and has created a lot of memories. (I’m looking at you, faulty 24-hour McDonalds.)
Florida State University is a trendsetter in coffee culture, and despite not enjoying lattes or cold brews, I’m still going to give coffee a shot.
Taking part in espresso-related puns is just too good to pass up.
Courtesy: Daily Orange