Caffeine or Comfort?

I prepare everything the night before: water filter, electric kettle, moka pot, ice cubes in the freezer, oat milk in the fridge, cinnamon on the table, teaspoon ready to serve the light brown sugar, and my roast from Avril 50 on 34th & Sansom St. 

Throughout my first two years at Penn, I found comfort in mornings filled with iced lattes and flaky croissants that never failed to accompany them. A burst of caffeine followed me down Locust Walk—until it became too much for my wallet to handle. I needed to figure out how to make my ideal cup of coffee at home.

This past summer, I spent three months and too many $10 bills researching Philadelphia’s roasts and blends. I started off in search of Philly’s top 40 cups of coffee, and ended up discovering personal preferences for my homemade morning drink along the way. Two tablespoons of brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon, 5 ounces of Avril 50’s Guatemala Antigua roast, and oat milk to my heart’s (and brain) desire. I am a latte drinker through and through.

A traditional latte calls for steamed whole milk, but I use a milk alternative. From May to August, I paid close attention to the brand of oat milk baristas used. The majority held a carton of Oatly’s Barista Edition. So, when the summer came to an end, I was certain that I could count on Oatly to get me through another fall semester. 

Our morning drinks can provide insight to the lives we lead. We do not practice mindless sipping after we wake up. We are out and about with our morning drinks for a reason. Some students religiously enter cafés, while others opt to save the trip (and tip) to make their drink in an apartment. 

Do we start the day with a morning cup of coffee for the caffeine, or is it just comforting to sip a personalized drink?

Some people wouldn’t dare to even touch milk (oat, whole, skim, almond, soy, 2%) or any other assortment of dairy products. Being devoted to piping hot black coffee is also a fundamental step to personalization. For Justin Duong, a double major in Music and Physics, knowing the single-serve Keurig will never fail to caffeinate him is all he needs to get through the day. 

Dissatisfied with my instant coffee, I bought a moka pot at the beginning of August because I couldn’t afford an espresso machine, and was set on finding a way to taste my brown sugar oat latte, minus the daily expenditure. The question of cost outweighs the taste of comfort. 

For Luke Krier, coffee isn’t an everyday ritual. If he’s endured a long night of assignments, or simply wants to enjoy a cool morning with a drink in his hand, he will turn to Williams Café for a small drip coffee. It’s not only a matter of convenience for the Philosophy and Biology major, it’s also the least expensive thing on the menu.  

For Lily Glaser, my freshman year roommate who braved late nights studying with me, the closest she ever got to drinking coffee was a hot green tea in the morning. As Lily enters her third-year on the pre-med track, she continues being a firm believer in the health benefits of drinking tea, and prefers to stay away from anything too caffeinated. At home, Lily’s pantry is stocked with a diverse selection of looseleaf tea. Yet, she opts to leave the looseleaf for unwinding at night. 

At the start of September, waking up is easy, but as the semester progresses, and as a deep sleeper, I need something akin to someone splashing cold water on my face: an iced latte. Morning tea drinkers, on the other hand, desire to add a hint of calmness to the start of a long week. As for me, when I wake up to my 7:15 alarm, I will be anticipating the smell of my Guatemala Antigua roast infusing my apartment. It’ll be another early morning, but at least I’ll have my coffee.