Staying up late to write the paper due the next morning, cramming for next week’s midterm or for early mornings getting ready for class, coffee is a part of most college students’ lives. It keeps many students awake and, too often, dependent on the caffeine.
A study conducted in 2011 by the National Coffee Association found that of those who responded, 40 percent of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 consumed coffee on a daily basis, an increase from the 31 percent in 2010.
Since 2010, the number of Starbucks locations has increased by more than 1,500 stores in the U.S., putting the number of locations at over 10,000.
“On average it depends really, most days it’s just one cup of coffee, but some days it’s two,” said Jackson Matthew Brown, a junior psychology major. “It all depends on how tired I am, really.”
Waking in the morning can be tough for some students. That is when the caffeine in coffee can become a good source of energy.
“The caffeine inside the drink keeps me awake a lot longer and more consistently than an average energy drink would,” Brown said.
Patrick Seamas McGinnis, sophomore kinesiology major, said, “I had never had coffee before college. I’ve had two or three cups of regularly sized coffee at Wanda’s since, and a few cups that commuters are offered during the sidewalk café.”
Although coffee can taste good and be useful, it can be an expensive habit for some. According to Fox
Business, the average college student spends about $60 a month on coffee.
“I spend roughly $10 a week,” Brown said. “It’s not bad for me, since I have a reasonable income every month.”
In 2011, the Starbucks company made a total revenue of $11.7 billion, a more than $1 billion increase from its total profits from the previous year.
Not only are the big businesses seeing good profits from the sale of coffee, but so are smaller shops. E-Imports, a provider of espresso business solutions, independent coffee shops, said it has accounted for $12 billion in annual sales.
Despite the prices for the various drinks offered at coffee shops, students are still willing to indulge their java fix. However, not all students drink coffee to keep themselves awake and ready to learn. Some simply prefer the taste as opposed to the effects it has on the body.
“I do go to Starbucks too often; I drink one cup of coffee about every three days,” said Ivan Jake Andrews, junior nursing major. “I have a weird philosophy. Basically, I don’t like to drink coffee when I’m on a deadline; I don’t want to need it to get something done. If tests are preparations for life I don’t want it to be a crutch.”
Whether it is for taste or energy, the current trend seems to be that people, including students, want more coffee.
With more than 9,000 coffee shops listed in Yellow Pages for California and just under 300 in Riverside alone, there are numerous possibilities for the java fanatic and enthusiast.
