A recent article from Business Insider listed Lehigh as one of the 14 most caffeinated college campuses in the nation according to GrubHub orders. The campus came in at No. 3 on the list and Lehigh students’ actions seem to comply with this ranking.
The article stated that 8 percent of online GrubHub orders coming from Lehigh students contain coffee, espresso or energy drinks.
With a population of approximately 4,600 undergraduate students, Lehigh provides students with several different options for coffee. On campus alone, there are six places for students to get coffee: Baker’s Junction in the Upper Court, Johnny’s Bagels in Campus Square, Starbucks in the bookstore, Lucy’s Café in Linderman Library, Common Grounds in Rauch Business Center and the Fud Truk. Off campus sites, such as Deja Brew Café, Dunkin Donuts and Saxbys Coffee, are also popular spots for students to get coffee.
However, coffee at Lehigh is viewed as a study mechanism more than an enjoyable drink. There is a strong correlation between the number of students buying coffee and the 4 p.m. midterm exam schedule.
“I don’t really like the taste of coffee,” said Laura Courtney, ’17, a member of the women’s soccer team. “I usually only drink it during exam weeks because I stay up late studying and then I am tired the next morning and I need it to wake me up so I can study the next day.”
Employees at the cafes on campus, such as Baker’s Junction worker Dorris Lassin, can also tell when it is exam season at Lehigh.
“I recognize the students who regularly come for coffee every morning,” Lassin said. “But I can tell when it is exam week because I see lots of new faces. It is always a busier work week for me because there are more students stopping to buy coffee.”
For some students, coffee was never considered a necessity before they came to Lehigh. However, since attending Lehigh, their coffee habits have drastically changed.
“I never drank coffee in high school because I didn’t like the taste very much and I easily was getting eight hours of sleep at night,” Brianna Heikkinen, ’16 , said. “In college I get about five to six hours of sleep each night, and I feel like I need the caffeine to wake me up for the day. I also really enjoy the flavor now.”
The Lehigh environment is geared mostly toward consuming caffeine through coffee products. However, there are some students who prefer their caffeine in alternate forms.
“I do enjoy my coffee but sometimes I’ll just eat straight coffee beans,” graduate student Alex Zoot said. “I did that the other day to get through my meeting.”
Another coffee alternate for students is soda.
“I really dislike the taste of coffee,” Danny Gonzalez, ’17, said. “Though I started drinking soda my freshman year to help me stay awake during exams, and now I can’t study for a test without it.”
Whether it is coffee, tea, soda or any other type of caffeinated drink, caffeine helps these Lehigh students stay awake during academically stressful weeks. No matter the reason, the Lehigh campus and surrounding area provide easy access to coffee for students.
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