Ranked among the most caffeinated colleges in the country, George Mason University has a coffee shop or kiosk in nearly every building. Our bustling campus is home to thousands of hard-working students who will most likely be on the hunt for a caffeine boost these next few weeks. Whether you have a cup in the morning, afternoon, evening, or all three, it can be agreed upon that coffee is basically gold in liquid form. Better yet, you can feel less guilty about that $6 latte as coffee has got some other amazing benefits and uses!
1. It can reduce chances of alcohol-induced liver disease
A study showed that consuming at least one cup of coffee could help reduce the chances of alcohol cirrhosis. With Wine Wednesdays and Thirsty Thursdays, the line at Starbucks could be worth it for the possibility of avoiding a serious liver disease later in life.
2. It is a great source of antioxidants
When functioning and running on a busy schedule and probably little sleep, college students often forget to nourish their bodies with the right foods and nutrients. Coffee is surprisingly a great source of antioxidants, and the #1 source among most people. It’s good to get your fill for the caffeine, and for the supplements!
3. Coffee grounds have tons of uses
Aside from being a great fertilizer, coffee grounds can be used for many things, so you may want to think twice before tossing the whole batch. If you live with roommates and things are starting to smell a little funny, coffee may just be the answer. It is a great deodorizer and can easily be made so- just place the grounds in a bag or container in the fridge, on the counter, or even in the bathroom.
4. Just smelling coffee can help you wake up
This may be placebo, but a study at Seoul National University in South Korea showed that just the aroma of coffee alone could help reduce the effects of sleep deprivation. So next time you’re running low on sleep and funds, just sitting outside of Starbucks or Dunkin’ could be enough to give you that boost. Make that college student budget work this finals season!