Social Sipping Trends

A fascinating trend among college students is their need for caffeine. Students on campus can regularly be found with their favorite flavored coffee drinks.

Many people are told that drinking coffee is unhealthy. William McDaniel, a GC&SU psychology professor, offers a differing view. McDaniel teaches a course called “Drugs and the Brain” and has studied the effects of caffeine on the body.

“Coffee is not going to be damaging at moderate levels to low levels,” he said.

McDaniel believes that consumption in moderation is fine. He said that people who drink two to three cups a day are okay but that it is unhealthy to drink coffee around the clock.

McDaniel also said that is it not wise for students to cram all night studying for a test while guzzling their coffee. Studies of state dependent learning neurochemistry suggest that you perform better taking a test if you are in the same state as when you learned the material.

Senior mass communication and outdoor education major Josh Fulmer doesn’t drink coffee all the time but does find it useful when he needs a little bit of extra energy. Fulmer believes that time management factors into the students’ dependency on coffee.

“I think we’re so pushed for time and not as good at managing time that we’re forced to pull an all-nighter, and we need something to keep us up and alert,” he said.

College students who say they are not addicted to coffee claim that they usually only drink coffee when they need the energy to study. Fulmer thinks that college is when the coffee consumption starts for most people.

“I started drinking coffee when I was in college because I needed to stay up to pull an all-nighter,” Fulmer said.

Psychology major Chante Stewart said that the media has played a crucial role in advocating coffee consumption.

“Any TV show that you watch with college students shows all social interactions in a coffee shop,” she said.

Junior mass communication major Alexis Dannelly said that a lot of ads target college students. Dannelly is one student who can be seen with her daily Starbucks drink. The smell of caramel-flavored coffee marks her path. She admits that it is addictive.

“Coffee just really helps me get through the day for class. Since I’m a commuter, it helps keep me awake for the drive,” Dannelly said.

Coffee trends are not only flourishing in the Untied States.

Foreign exchange student Stephanie Largilliere is from France and said that people in France drink a lot of coffee. She said that coffee machines are set up in French universities, and many people grab a cup of coffee between class or while they are talking with their friends. Coffee is still popular in the traditional French caf?s, where customers sit down to be served, but Largilliere noticed that Starbucks are becoming more popular in France. She believes coffee shops have become trendier because they are more convenient than ever, and they cater to people who are social, yet independent and rushed.

“I’ve seen Starbucks in Spain, England and Belgium, and now it’s developing in France too, but only in big cities,” Largilliere said.

So why is Starbucks so popular? Starbucks employee A.J. Brantley says it is “because they have perfected the blend of good coffee and extremely personal customer service.”

Although Starbucks stores are opening all around the world, there is not a one in Milledgeville, Georgia. However, there is a popular spot downtown where people enjoy fresh roasted java. Blackbird Coffee is where many community members, college students and professors come to get their coffee. Not only does Blackbird offer coffee, they offer musical entertainment and poetry readings and host other meetings, as well. The atmosphere is comfortable and artistic and invites everyone to come in.

Political science major Chase Ogletree said that coffee houses are popular, not necessarily for the coffee, but for the mood that is found lingering near the cups of coffee.

“It’s more the atmosphere or vibe the coffee house provides. If they quit selling coffee and sold something random like apple juice, people would still go in equal numbers,” Ogletree said.

GC&SU students can satisfy their coffee cravings at several locations on campus. One of these locations, Books & Brew, located downstairs in the library, often has a line of customers waiting to get their drinks.

Books & Brew employee Tracy Gordon said she didn’t know so many people were addicted to coffee. Gordon said that she sees many students coming through the library doors every day to get the same drink. She gets along well with the students.

“They just love coming over here to see me,” Gordon said.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Nov 4 2005. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry