I have never acquired a taste for coffee. Every time I have an energy drink I am pretty sure my heart will explode, even if I know it won’t. I have found that the best way to start my day is with a simple cup of tea. An unsweetened black tea in the mornings when I want a little more kick or perhaps create a nice pairing with a warm bowl of oatmeal. However, green tea with a little bit of honey will always be my favorite.
I have always thought that being a tea drinker was atypical for a college student, that most would consider tea as nothing more than earthy dirt water. So then, do other Linfield students share my preference for tea or do they prefer some of the alternatives?
Coffee
Coffee is perhaps the more traditional form of caffeine in the United States, with places like Starbucks increasing the availability and popularity of artisan coffee drinks. Here in Oregon, Dutch Bros is the popular standard, but what about black coffee? The kind of coffee that comes steaming hot at a diner, no syrups, no whip. Do college-age people drink that? At least one does.
“I really enjoy coffee because it’s an aromatic and bold start to my day. I love a good light roast with a smooth mouthfeel and bitter note,” senior Morgan Ybarra said.
Tea
There are three main varieties of tea that most people will know of: black, green and herbal. Black teas have the highest caffeine content while still being half that of coffee. They are often more on the bitter side making them good bases for tea lattes like chai and London fogs.
“I’m not a big caffeine drinker. I have a chai in the morning…and maybe another tea beverage throughout the day,” senior Rowan Owens said.
Green tea has even less caffeine than black and often has a more earthy or perfumed flavor. If you are a tea disliker this is likely a tea that you think tastes like grass, but it is also the basis for matcha, another popular drink. Green leaf teas are one of the healthier forms of tea, packed full of antioxidants. It can actually be beneficial to drink beyond the caffeine content.
“I feel like tea is the best because it holds less caffeine in it and that’s generally better for your body,” sophomore Amy Rutermund said.
Energy Drinks
Energy drinks get a lot of criticism for their high caffeine and sugar content, but for some college students, it’s exactly what they need. Whether it be to make it through a tough finals week or just to wake up every morning.
“I prefer energy drinks because I’ve built up a pretty severe caffeine tolerance so energy drinks are the only thing that will get rid of my headaches in the morning and keep me more awake,” sophomore Skylar McLeod said.
No Caffeine
However, there’s a wild card still on the table: the college students who prefer to go without caffeine. While a lot of college students may prefer that chemical kick to get them going, maybe it’s not always needed.
I tried to be a coffee drinker freshman year but eventually accepted it’s just not for me,” Linfield senior Emma Bare said.
Final Thoughts
While tea is my favorite option it doesn’t mean it is for everyone. Whether we drink for flavor or the chemical wake-up or not at all, everyone has some kind of opinion.
