Every morning, I wake up and look forward to making my first coffee. For me, coffee has been a sacred ritual ever since my mom let me have my first cup. Now that I am older, I can share my favorite part of the day with someone who asks the tried and true question and takes the first step of getting to know someone: “Would you want to get coffee sometime?”
Whether it’s a cold brew before classes or an evening espresso, I look forward to coffee dates because you never know how much you can learn about someone over a beverage. By the first few sips, formalities like, “Where are you from?” and “How do you spend your free time?” are answered and nervously laughed over as you wrap your hands around the paper cup and fiddle with the lid. However, as the date progresses and your coffee cup is almost empty, you learn about each other’s ambitions and goals and decide to see each other again.
In a broad context, meeting for coffee is effortless but also very human. There’s a feeling of the unknown when you first sit down across from another person; to me, it’s exhilarating. The ting of anxious excitement you feel in the bottom of your stomach is something we all take for granted. People and our relationships with those around us are one of the only things we have in this life, so taking time out of your day to forge a new connection is priceless. And hey, even if the date doesn’t go as well as you hoped, at least you got a cup of coffee out of it.
Gracen Costello “Coffee Date” (2023)
Mixed Media on 22’ x 28’ Canvas