University senior Bobby Wood said coffee is a vital element in his college experience. Without it, cramming for his accounting homework the night before it is due would be impossible. For this reason, Wood finds himself frequently spending evenings at The Buzz, a café on the ground floor of the EMU.
“Hey, it’s open as late as the library, and it serves coffee,” Wood, an accounting major, said.
Wood plays the guitar, watches lots of television and has cable Internet — an environment that he said is not conducive to studying. The Buzz does have “open mic” nights on Mondays and live music on Fridays, however, and on those days Wood’s studying must be done elsewhere.
Enter the Starbucks/Espresso Roma dichotomy. Located close to each other on East 13th Avenue, each also has its own unique following. While Wood doesn’t go to either often enough to have a preference, there are the loyal devotees such as sophomores Tyler Stout and Kawika Victor.
“I support small businesses, and (Espresso Roma) has really good food,” Stout said. Both said they enjoy the quiet atmosphere and the friendly clientele.
Junior Rachael Danley, on the other hand, prefers Starbucks.
“Starbucks is consistent,” she said. “I do like independent coffee shops, but with Starbucks, you always know what to expect.”
Danley said that in contrast to Espresso Roma’s quieter music and academically oriented scene, Starbucks has a livelier atmosphere. The breakdown she said, is as follows:
“If you want ‘froofy’ drinks and a chance to meet people while you’re studying, go to Starbucks. If you prefer a quieter setting and stronger coffee, go to Espresso Roma.”
Other close-to-campus café alternatives include the Common Grounds Café in the Hamilton Complex and Clancy Thurber’s Underground in the basement of the Collier House. Both take campus meal points.
Wood said that as far as he is concerned, no matter where one goes to study, it cannot be at home and coffee must be part of the equation.