Coffee Talk: Week 2

Written by Hope Brakenhoff. Media by Momoka Murata.


Image of Coffee
Photo by Momoka M

More than forty percent of college students drink coffee daily. According to a study done by the University of New Hampshire, college-age individuals even tend to turn to coffee over soda or any other caffeinated drink.

Coffee consumption is no different on Greenville University’s campus, either. If you walk into Jo’s Java on an average day, you are likely to find the place close to full of students enjoying warm beverages.

There are many different methods to make coffee, an unimaginable amount of flavors, and many additional ways to serve and share the popular drink. The beautiful thing about coffee is the individuality of it. Most people prefer a cup of jo their own unique way, and whether they put in cream, sugar, or just drink it black, everyone is different.

Photo provided by Tymber Gabbert

Tymber Gabbert, a graduate student at Greenville University, shared a little bit about her preference and love of coffee with me. For Gabbert, the sound of grinding whole coffee beans takes her back to her childhood. Every morning she would wake up to the sound of her dad making coffee. However, it was not until Gabbert was in high school that she got hooked on the drink when working for her grandma.

“We had been working all day and we were dead tired, so she made some coffee and put an unhealthy amount of French Vanilla creamer in it,” she explained. “Something about the sweetness of the creamer on my taste buds…the caffeine energiz[ing] my soul…, [and] the warmth of the coffee as I sipped from that chipped café mug was magical.”

Image of coffee
Image from Bardotbars

As previously stated, there are many different flavors of coffee and that is primarily because it comes from so many different countries. Each country’s coffee has a little bit different flavor and texture. Some might be sweeter and some might feel smoother when consumed. There are also endless creamers you can add to coffee to personalize the taste. Gabbert says she prefers a medium roast from Columbia with French Vanilla or Hazelnut cream.

Every person prefers something a little different. If you are not comfortable personalizing your own beverage, consider looking at the options for specialty drinks. Some people hate a normal brew, but love choices specialty coffee presents, such as a good caramel macchiato or white chocolate mocha. When it comes to the menu, there are flavors for everyone; it is just a matter of figuring out what you enjoy.

So many different flavors and textures of coffee allow customers a diverse range of experiences. The drink does amazing things for people. Gabbert agrees by stating, “I… love it because I am not a morning person by any means, and it energizes me and helps me get my day started.” Coffee truly assists others in becoming their best at the beginning of the day. It also helps individuals to not waste any precious, early morning moments.

Aside from this, coffee has the power to bring people together and create friendships. “There is nothing quite like sitting on the front porch with a friend on a cool, fall afternoon drinking a nice warm cup of coffee… [and] watching the leaves fall off the trees,” says Gabbert. Coffee is an essential part of many friendships and the beverage in itself is so diverse that if you want to find something to start drinking, there are a surplus of options. So give one a try. You never know, you might surprise yourself.

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