With the onslaught of snow Ferris has come to know and love, the need for a warm drink is stronger than ever.
Luckily, with the two Starbucks hubs on campus, a Biggby Coffee across the street, and every other restaurant in the area, there are plenty of options. They’re well placed for a college campus, too, since most students need that morning jolt of caffeine to get the day started. Which begs the question: what should people be drinking to get the much-needed energy?
While coffee isn’t necessarily bad, and hot chocolate makes up for what it lacks in caffeine through sugar, tea should be the way to go.
Unlike coffee, the flavor of tea isn’t limited by the brand’s mix. Celestial Seasonings, Tazo, and Bigelow, to name a few, all have dozens of different flavors under their belts. Earl Grey tea offers a nice, calm start to the day, a mint or peppermint variation will give you a nice kick, or, for those with a sweet tooth, a peach tea or a tangerine tea can be a great choice. Many teas can also be modified by the same add-ins that people like to put in their coffee, even ice if you want to brave the cold with it.
Tea can also be a good drink at night, as there isn’t much of a difference in flavor between caffeinated and decaffeinated, so it can help you stay focused without feeling like you can’t sleep once you’ve written that last paper. Some teas have even been shown to boost brain function, like Matcha tea. Matcha tea also contains a compound that gives the same energy as caffeine but reduces the crash that tends to come later on.
There are many more health related reasons to drink tea. Green tea, among others, contains antioxidants that may lower the risk of certain kinds of cancer and it can kill bacteria, which improves the drinker’s dental health. Chamomile tea can be a balm on a sore throat, made even better with a dollop of honey.
Of course, the variety of flavors and the different ways to prepare tea can seem a little intimidating. For a new tea drinker, mint tea is almost always a safe bet, as one of the flavors that doesn’t really risk over-steeping, as is a lemongrass and chai mix, if mint doesn’t fit the craving. Little by little, you will find what you like and even how long you like it to steep for, and how much honey, sugar or milk you like in different flavors.
It all comes down to a matter of preference, but if you haven’t tried tea before, it’s worth a shot.