A Coffee Addict’s Personal Guide to the University of Toronto

Thoughts | Abbey Wilson

Café Reznikoff

A very friendly girl you met in your first class at the University of Toronto asked if you wanted to grab a coffee at “Rezzies”. You had just transferred to this school, so you didn’t know what that was, but you happily agreed. She told you she used to grab coffee here all the time as a first year staying in residence at University College. You chatted for an hour about yourselves and university and being English students. You knew that you were going to like it here.

You and your new friend continue these post-class coffee chats every week over the next two years.

Coffee: 5/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Networking: 10/10

Second Cup, Sidney Smith Hall

You are only willing to wait in this mile-long line because you had to wake up early to go to a 10 am class in Sidney Smith Hall and you have another class at 12 and this is the easiest way to get your coffee fix in between. It’s not your favourite way to spend four dollars, but it’s okay because this is just a one-off. You stayed up late last night writing an essay on some lengthy Victorian novel and you are very tired.

(You tell yourself the above at least once a week.)

Coffee: 3/10

Ambiance: 1/10

Position in line: #10

Caffiends

You discovered Caffiends midway through third year, while walking through Old Vic after your Romantic literature class, and quickly got into the habit of buying a cup of coffee there during your five-minute break during lectures every Tuesday and Thursday. They have cool posters and books and board games and a large couch. They play music you have never heard before. The people there always seem to know each other, whether they are volunteering behind the counter or chatting over London fogs. No one ever knows you. Maybe you should have applied to Victoria College, just so you could have joined in on their espresso making and light conversation. Maybe you should have been more involved at this school. But you are already quite tired as it is, so you just buy a coffee.

The vegan pastries always taunt you from behind their case. One day in the final weeks of your last semester, you finally get over yourself and have a scone. It’s delicious.

Coffee: 9/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Savoury scones: 11/10

Bring Coffee From Home, Idiot

You are not unaware of the negative effects of your coffee dependence. You know you should probably reduce the number of steaming hot paper cups you purchase routinely, for the sake of your health, your wallet, and the environment. So, in an effort to drink responsibly, you bring a travel mug’s worth of coffee from your apartment to campus for your morning classes. Of course, you always drain the mug before you even finish the walk to Sidney Smith Hall, leaving you in a very vulnerable position to grab a quick drink later from that oh-so-conveniently located Second Cup. Also, bringing your own coffee to campus doesn’t negate the fact that the excessive amount of caffeine you consume on a daily basis at the ripe young age of twenty-one is probably posing some horrible health risks you will not dare to look up, but even your hypochondriacal tendencies are no match for that sweet, sweet caffeine.

Oh well. You’ll graduate soon enough; you’ll never see these cafés again, and your problem will (probably) fix itself. For now, this is just what it means to be a young adult and a university student and so very, very tired.

Coffee: 5/10

Ambiance: 5/10

Level of concern: 6.5/10