High school me, who exclusively drank aggressively sweet iced coffees and mochas, wouldn’t even recognize the refined, sophisticated adult who doesn’t even take sugar in her coffee anymore (seriously, my 16-year-old self would be so disappointed). After successfully caffeinating myself to the halfway point of undergrad, I wanted to share some common situations you might find yourself in while at MtA and how you can solve them with a cup (or three) of coffee.  

McDonald’s iced coffee is the drink equivalent of being an Orientation volunteer (I can’t explain it but if you’ve volunteered for O-Week this makes sense). A drink whose sheer volume of sweetener will give you enough chaotic energy to get you through Karaoke BBQ rehearsals, McDonald’s iced coffee is a classic that can’t be beat at the low price of $1 (taxes not included).  

There’s just something about sipping on a mocha at Cranewood while casually skimming through your first-year polisci textbook that makes you feel like you're really on top of things. The old-fashioned décor and the old books that line the walls never fail to make me feel a bit more scholarly for a few hours. Despite the illusion of productivity, though, you will probably get home and realize you accomplished absolutely nothing. Guess you’ll just have to go back the next day!  

Winning the prize for being the closest café to campus, Cackling Goose is a convenient stop for those times when you don’t really have time to get coffee before class, but you just absolutely have to. I love stopping there on the way to the AC to watch a basketball or volleyball game on a cold day in the middle of winter.  

We all have those moments when we aren’t really drinking coffee for enjoyment, but rather for the few hours of stress-ridden productivity that follow its consumption. In these cases, you just can’t be spending $6 on an espresso drink or wasting any precious time walking into town. You need coffee and you need it NOW. So, the natural solution is instant. Just plug your nose and impatiently wait for the first sign of caffeination before diving into that midterm studying. (Disclaimer: I am a real snob and didn’t actually suffer through the instant coffee grind because I had a Keurig. So, take my advice with a grain of salt).  

If you know me well, chances are you’ve received more than one “wanna get coffee?” text from me (probably more than one within the last week). Any time I can waste some of my day people-watching and catching up with friends in a busy café, I’m there. Aida’s is the newest addition to the Sackville coffee scene but has quickly become a go-to for students. Every time I go, I also get a strong urge to go to IKEA in Halifax and redesign my whole apartment to look like an extension of Aida’s Café