Students get their study on for finals
Published Dec. 7, 2007
Index cards and books piled on the corners of coffeehouse tables can signify only one time of year: finals week.
In preparation for finals, students are gathering in coffee shops and other locations on and around campus. Many coffee shops offer extended hours or special deals to students.
The Starbucks on Ninth Street is open 24 hours a day through Dec. 14. These extended hours are offered only at this location and according to manager and coffee master Kristin Held, the policy was instated to give back to students because they are the primary patrons.
"The peppermint white mocha is the most popular this time of year," Held said. "Also, students like little happy cookies."
Held said staff members sometimes bring complimentary cups of coffee or cookies to studying students or passersby on the street.
"We call it 'pass the cheer,'" Held said. "We have crafts for people to do, too."
In order to accommodate the extra patrons, the Ninth Street Starbucks brought in extra furniture from St. Louis.
"Last year we had people sitting on the floor," Held said.
Other coffee shops are experiencing similar problems with the influx of stressed students.
"As the stress level goes up, the demand for coffee, sugar and chocolate goes up," Lakota Coffee Company owner Skip DuCharme said.
Lakota has extended its hours by opening a half hour earlier and closing an hour later. According to DuCharme, students often push tables together and move to the back of the café to avoid being in the way of other customers.
DuCharme said students study at coffee houses for two reasons: coffee and chocolate.
"They need the caffeine to stay up, but chocolate is a great comfort food," DuCharme said.
Lakota offers bottomless cups of coffee year round, snack food and rocking chairs.
"Lakota is such a good atmosphere," freshman J.P. Regan said.
Some students are drawn to locations for reasons other than caffeine. Panera Bread and others offer complimentary wireless Internet.
"Panera has free Wi-Fi, comfy chairs and outlets," graduate student Amy Moore said. "But the (Cherry Street) Artisan is great too. They have lots of space, and we can be there for hours on end."
Kaldi's manager Jeremy Brown said Kaldi's offers a unique atmosphere to students in need of a break from Ellis Library.
"You can be alone, but not alone, get fuel, and it's more fun than the library," Brown said.
Other student study destinations include Uprise Bakery, Upper Crust Bakery, Hitt Street Market and Ellis Library. Unlike last year, the library will not provide extended hours. As usual, Hitt Street Market will be open 24 hours, offering a computing site as well as Subway and the Hitt Street Market.
