Yeah, I’m going to start the fight. I don’t think creamer and coffee should exist in the same cup. I am what you call a coffee snob.
It sounds silly to be writing an article about something so minute and petty, but think about it. Is coffee part of your day?
The first thing I do when I wake up is make coffee. It’s the reason I get out of bed even if I shut off my alarm and slowly drift back to sleep. The sweetly bitter aroma fills my apartment as I get ready for the day. It’s a ritual. Drinking coffee out of my tan and blue mug is as important as putting on my shoes.
We are not alone in this beverage cult. Americans alone drink 400 million cups of coffee every day. It is part of our culture and our lives.
This addiction to these magic beans goes back to the angsty time of when American colonists wanted to be different from their bureaucratic, tea-drinking British rulers. What a truly American reason to love something.
The label “coffee snob” is often quickly placed on me because I do not add items to my coffee. However, this is a quick judgement. Like many people, I do not enjoy sweet and sugary drinks, or overly sweet things in general.
Simply because of my beverage preference, please do not assume that I am a snob about other things as well. The moment I venture out into the world with a travel mug full of black coffee, I risk severe brutality. I do not put sugar, creamer, or anything in my coffee. It masks the fruity or humble chocolate flavors that naturally exist from the magic beans.
Out of pure angst, my friend will try to take my coffee away from me because she believes that a person should not “suffer.”
When I walk into Starbucks and order a plain coffee but mention that I do not need room for cream, even the barista gives me a look or asks for clarification. In the palace of sugary coffee drinks, I stick out like a sore thumb.
The opposing reasoning for those in favor of including cream and sugar in coffee is often described to me as, “I use cream and sugar because I don’t hate myself.” In a simpler fashion, sugar and creamers are used to tame the bitterness. This I do understand.
When I first stopped adding sweeteners to my magic bean juice, overcoming the bitterness was a challenge. But once I understood the sweet and subtle flavors of untampered coffee, I couldn’t go back.
Both parties within this coffee controversy care strongly for their preferences. However, in honor of national coffee day, which is Oct. 3, we should set aside our differences and simply appreciate this wonderful beverage that has versatility and is a wholesome part of so many lives. Sip on, friends!
Micaela is a junior Anthropology major. She is the Vice President of the Anthropology club.