Gather in close—the tea is hot and ready to spilled.
As Queen’s students get caught up in the hustle and bustle of fall semester, coffee seems to be a crutch to rely on. In North America, coffee is the primary caffeine source for university students, and the winding lines at Common Ground Coffeehouse are proof of its popularity. With all this fanfare surrounding coffee, tea has become an underrated drink for students.
WATCH: Coffee break with QJ: Campus favourites
I started thinking critically about tea after spending my semester abroad in Turkiye—the number one tea consuming country in the world. Turkish people drink on average four glasses of tea a day, no matter the temperature outside. There never seems to be an inappropriate time for tea; in fact, you’re not doing it right if you don’t have a cup of black tea in front of you.
Many countries around the world deeply value tea as a part of their culture and routine, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, China, and India. However, according to Made in CA, only 48 per cent of Canadians identify as tea-drinkers, compared to 71 per centwho identify as coffee-drinkers. This makes coffee much more popular—questions about how to drink it, iced or hot, and where to drink it on Queen’s campus are popular conversation topics. Aside from fleeting obsessions over teas like matcha and chai, tea drinking is a less dominant beverage choice in North America.
READ MORE: Is iced coffee an appropriate cold weather drink?
The irony here is that I’m a huge coffee fiend. But apart from meeting friends for a coffee chat, I typically use coffee to energize myself for 8:30 lectures and other draining activities. Coffee isn’t something I drink for pleasure; it serves a purpose, like keeping me awake and amping me up to take on the day.
Tea is often a drink I make at the end of the night to relax while I get ready for bed— and it’s not just me. I frequently catch my roommates in the kitchen brewing a pot of tea to help them sleep and encourage relaxation, something proven to help poor-sleepers.
There’s something inherently relaxing about the process of brewing tea. It seems forgotten about in our coffee-crazed culture, and it could be beneficial for students looking to slow down and be intentional about caffeine consumption.
Just some food for thought, or tea for sipping, enjoying tea while romanticizing life in Kingston isn’t difficult either, with cute off-campus spots like Delightfully Different Tea Room on Wellington St., a great option to explore downtown, with eclectic tea pots and gorgeous garden patios. As well, The Tea Room is an on-campus Queen’s brewery that recognizes the craft, offering dozens of different kinds of herbal, black, and green tea.
Wherever you choose to indulge in a hot beverage of choice, consider tea as a new top pick. Remember that what goes up must come down—like a cortisol spike after three espressos.
Caffeinate to your heart’s desire, but let tea be your quiet encore.
Tags
beverages, coffee, Common Ground Coffeehouse, Culture, tea, The Tea Room
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.