Starbucks is located in the Memorial Student Center
When describing a preferable combination, people often reference well known couplings like peanut butter and jelly, salt and pepper or macaroni and cheese.
In recent years, however, a new combination has risen to notoriety: college and coffee.
From Starbucks locations to social gatherings, coffee has become a campus staple for many university students. The commodity has created its own culture of terms, opportunities and issues reflected across U.S. campuses.
Marshall University, of course, is no exception.
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On weekdays, the campus Starbucks is a hotspot. Commonly teeming with upwards of fifteen waiting students, lines are inevitable. The wait time, however, is not a deterrent for students looking to get their morning caffeine fix.
“(The line is) normally out the door,” student Eliana Robbins (chai latte with skim milk and two pumps of chai) said.. Her coffee, however, is worth the wait. “I’m tired; I have early classes, and I feel like I need the energy boost.”
Coffee shops have been fueling intellect since their popularity in the 17th century, although they were primarily touted for their ability to sow academic debate between waiting patrons.
Today, shops are populated by quieter students sipping their drinks in the peaceful bustle. A research group at UC Davis backed the popularity of this routine, finding 31% of students consume caffeine for the concentration-improving effects.
This ritual of coffee and studying is familiar to freshman Payton Waters (iced caramel latte).
“I drink coffee to get me through studying, and I do it every time I go to Drinko,” Waters said.
While caffeine can be beneficial to ward off exhaustion, there are clear limits. The USDA recommends a max of 400 mg of caffeine per day. In comparison, one small cup of Starbucks blonde roast is 270 mg. For college students drinking three or four cups per day, over consumption of caffeine is a serious risk.
Another concern of coffee consumption is cost. According to an article from Daily Coffee News, the median price of a cup of joe is $3.52. This may seem cheap, but compounded over a single week, this can mean over $20 in coffee alone. This price also does not include the many additives, dairy products and customizations popular in orders.
Students on campuses can diminish cost by seeking out the cheapest shops. For Chase Parsons (black coffee), that means a McDonalds coffee. Their medium dark roast is priced at only a dollar, far under the national average. He began ordering recently and continued under the incentive of their Monopoly game, which rewards customers through an app.
“I order McDonalds coffee. I like the monopolies, and it’s fast and cheap,” Parsons said.
Another option for campus coffee is seeking out freebies.
Not only do campus groups provide free coffee as a break from financial burdens, but also to sow connections and community. One example is Baptist Campus Ministry, which took advantage of student’s coffee cravings by setting up a table of free coffee and donuts.
These popups strengthen relationships in the campus community while attracting students to the participating program. Gretchen Foster (chocolate strawberry frappe), current BCM member, was adamant about the benefits of coffee culture.
“Come out here and get people interested in what you are doing,” Gretchen said. “People see coffee, and they are like, ‘Oh, warmth, comfort, lets come check this out.’”
Kate Fisher (iced oat milk latte with peppermint syrup and vanilla cold foam), current student and BCM member, visited the table on her way to morning chemistry.
“I felt very welcomed and seen when I came up to the table,” she said. “I attend BCM weekly, but I hadn’t really gotten a chance to connect with new people yet.”
Outside of freebies and campus coffee shops, Huntington has much to offer for coffee lovers. A popular local java joint is Grindstone, a family-owned shop that boasts their dedication to “coffeeology.”
Another more recent destination is Vera Café, which opened in late August near campus by a former Marshall alum, Manaf Elhamdani. From coffee to crepes, Vera is a fresh new addition to café culture in Huntington.
Whether a cup of coffee be rocket fuel for studying, an extension of community or just a morning treat, Marshall has it covered.
Claire Johnson can be contacted at [email protected].