Coffeehouse craze

Most students have a favorite place to study. For some, it may be the Hughes-Trigg Student Center or the residence hall study lounges.

But more and more students are enjoying study time – and caffeine – at area coffeehouses.

Leading the way are Starbucks and CC’s Coffee House over the more traditional library.

For years, SMU students sought alternative study areas at late-night diners such as IHOP and Café Brazil, but a new trend has emerged. Students say the coffeehouse environment is the place to be because it offers a relaxing atmosphere.

“Libraries are too quiet and cold,” junior psychology Yolandi Buitendag said. “I like to have life around me.”

A substitute for the silence that libraries offer, CC’s and Starbucks welcome customers with the sweet aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the sound of jazz and blues melodies.

This combination makes a soothing, if not quiet, study session for upcoming final exams.

“Finals week has students frequenting these locations,” CC’s employee Daniel Godinez said. “There is not an empty seat in the shop during finals week. The place is packed.”

The biggest explanation for the packed houses might just be in the name – the coffee. Coffee gives students a caffeine lift so they feel less drowsy, less fatigued and more capable of rapid and sustained intellectual efforts.

“Coffee is an aphrodisiac for studying,” senior economics major B. J. Williams said. “It only makes sense to go to a place where you can get coffee and study at the same time.”

Coffeehouses provide a variety of different lattés, iced drinks, espressos, teas and, of course, the traditional cup of java. Also, if studying stimulates your appetite, a variety of baked goods are available as well – including chocolate-chip cookies, scones and carrot cake.

“I like food more than studying, so at least while I’m studying at coffeehouses I can eat too,” junior history major Vic Viloria said.

Coffeehouses can accommodate both individual and group study sessions. From large cozy chairs, to personal desks, to large conference tables, there is something for everyone.

CC’s Hillcrest location stays open until 11 p.m. most nights while the two area Starbucks stores stay open until 10 p.m. Both Starbucks and CC’s close an hour earlier Sundays. Most of all, students get to study without feeling like they are in a study environment.

“Students need coffee and a place to study,” Starbucks employee Steve Tokoly said. “You might as well get two in one. That’s what coffeehouses are for.”