Thursday, November 17, 2011
Around 50 percent of the adult population of the United States drinks coffee regularly, according to the National Coffee Association. I count myself among the most religiously-addicted coffee drinkers of the population; somewhere along the line of my college education, being a full-time student and working around 30 hours a week instilled enough curiosity in me to eventually try it out, and my need for a daily caffeine fix was born.
The fact that I even tried coffee in the first place points to something larger in our culture. I saw others drinking it and heard how others see it as a studying savior. In terms of these drinkers, there are ritual drinkers who need those cups to get through their day (I’m beginning to become one of them), but there are also drinkers who drink just to join the party. Coffee has clearly carved out a large portion of the population and nabs more and more people every day.
The ready availability of coffee shops and the frequency by which we visit them also points to this larger trend. Think about the last time you were asked by a friend if you wanted to go grab a cup of coffee and catch up, or chose a study location on campus or downtown only because there was a barista within reach. If you name off the top ten places to study in Lawrence, you’d be hard-pressed to find one that isn’t blessed by the coffee fairy. Why has this crutch become so popular in our culture?
I have some friends who will only drink it cold, and others who prefer it as steamy as possible. Then, I have certain friends who barely even like coffee, yet still drink it anyway. I would compare it with watching a certain TV show just because of its extreme popularity with friends (Jersey Shore, anyone?). As social beings, we don’t want to be left out, and we’ll watch something that we don’t enjoy just because we want to be a part of the conversation.
Once something takes root in a certain culture and manages to retain popularity over a sustained period of time, it becomes standard and changes at a very slow pace. We see this not only with TV shows, but with legislation and current fashions. Prolonged change is difficult.
Because of how our culture is structured, coffee’s essential spot won’t be broken anytime soon: Rough work hours and the amount of schoolwork to be accomplished breeds the need for a cup of Joe. But wait, coffee costs money? Well, thankfully you have a job.
Coffee isn’t going anywhere. Coffee will live for ages in shops, grocery stores, your kitchen counter, and as a necessary accessory to the fabric of your day. It isn’t a fad like certain drinks of choice and other material objects. Its hold on us has led it to be a cultural staple, no matter if we prefer it black, iced, as watered down as possible, or, dare I say it, not at all.
Salsbury is a senior in English, history of art, and global and international studies from Chapman.
The Perks of Coffee
Studies Show Benefits Coffee Can Have On Health
Morning Brew: Coffee and the sports page
Despite changing trends, the tradition remains the same.
KUlture: Java Break
The 24-hour coffee shop provides a break from the library without cutting ...
Alcohol on the brain: a look at ...
Binge drinking may have negative long-term effects that many students don’t realize.
Salsbury: Rational or not, some things, and ...
Students rarely recognize how odd some of our culture's customs are.
Turning 21
It's no longer about the first drink, but the 21st
Williams: Don’t let stereotypes make up your ...
We should avoid making assumptions based on appearances.
Salsbury: The problem with technology
Even with all its benefits, technology has its downsides.
Time for Tea
Tea was discovered in 2737 B.C. by a Chinese Emperor. The world ...
Jonesing for Java
The problems and benefits of caffeine
Salsbury: Yes, hipsters are people too
The semantics of "hipster" portray a self-identity.
Good for you/Bad for you
Coffee can be good for you - in moderation
The Perfect Pot of Coffee
You can make & enjoy delicious coffee at home.
Doing Without: Coffee
Absence makes the heart grow...?
Spice up your Halloween by dressing up ...
Tennis star Roger Federer, Rays pitcher David Price, Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin ...
Holtz & Mubarak: Drinking culture across the ...
How Spanish and German students get their drink on.
Caffeine increases in college students’ diet
Students who raise their caffeine intake during finals week reflect a national ...
Drink This: Green Tea
Thirsty for More?
More than a drink with jam and ...
America doesn’t embrace tea like much of the world, but increased domestic ...
Lawrence dudes making brews
A new local brewer, Barnyard Brewing, is looking to make its niche ...
Salsbury: Embracing idiosyncrasies forms individuals
A large part of appreciating your own individuality comes from learning from ...
A little art with your coffee
Lawrence coffee shops offer an alternative to the art-gallery scene.
Energy drinks give more than boost
Popular beverages bring energy, possibly negative side effects to students’ lives
Blog: Buying sustainable
Being eco-friendly can be costly, but it doesn't have to be.
Hipster, reborn
Is anti-mainstream trending?
Salsbury: Change isn't necessarily improvement
With changes in technology, enjoy the journey.
Ho: A reason to love coffee
There's always time to try something new.
The Real World: KU
As we settle into another school year, students realize that college life ...
Step up your smoothie
Benefit from crafting your own blended beverages.
Better options for bad situations: Best drinks ...
If you're going to do it, be smart.
Man hopes to brew up success for ...
Profits from the sales go to villagers in South American to ensure ...
Food for thought
Our famished feelings frequently influence the way we feed our faces
Roesler: Lucky living in Lawrence
Students from Lawrence have a different college experience.
Is your drink making you fat?
The not-so-sweet side of sweeteners
What you need to know about artificial and natural sweeteners
Ho: Reflections on life
Life is a journey, not a destination.
Nichols: Waiters need to be on the ...
Drunk babies are cute, but restaurants must draw the line somewhere when ...
Ghost world
As winter approaches, downtown Lawrence’s sizeable homeless population must deal with crowded ...
Good for you / bad for you
Coffee? Yes please
Seasonal sipping
How to winterize your liquor cabinet.
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID