There are seven coffee shops within a one mile radius from my office. There used to be eight, but one did not survive post-Covid. RIP Einstein’s, you are deeply missed. 

Everyone picks a favorite cafe for different reasons- proximity, busyness, price, etc. Up until this year, my default coffee purchases came from whichever on-campus place was open. Which made sense when I had a meal plan, but I don’t anymore, so why continue to limit myself? I have recently started venturing out of my comfort zone when I need a midday pick-me-up. 

Turns out, there is a really fantastic little coffee shop in the building next to my office. Now, I knew this coffee shop existed prior to this year, but for some reason, it wasn’t on my radar. Then, on one of my first days of grad school, one of the professors asked me if I wanted to join him and some of my classmates on a coffee run. Apparently, the GA who worked in my office before me would always pass up this opportunity. I highly doubt you are reading this Rodney, but if you are, you really missed out. 

Saying yes to that was one of the smartest things I have done in my whole life. I have since discovered that most of the people who work in my department survive their long days by frequenting this coffee shop. I can see why- it isn’t expensive, the vibes are immaculate, and they even make their own lavender syrup!

There’s a long standing joke that part of my Master’s program graduation requirements should be creating a tower as tall as you out of coffee sleeves. (Fun fact- the actual name for one of these sleeves is a zarf. How fun is that!?) I am really, really, tall, which would put me at a disadvantage for creating my tower. I haven’t measured the zarfs, but if I had to guess, I would need about 29 of them. I am going to have to make a pretty significant investment into hot coffees for the next 10 weeks. Which means I will stick to hot vanilla oat milk lattes for as long as I can resist iced lavender ones. 

Thank you Commonplace for all the yum bevs. I am sure I will be back tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and every weekday until the semester is over.