As another sizzling Kamloops summer came to a close, Thompson Rivers University opened its doors and welcomed back its students and faculty. Adjusting from the laid back summer months to go back to the grind (no pun intended) of classes is a tough process for everybody, but it can be made easier by one single thing: coffee. With that in mind, we made it our mission to sample the various cafes that TRU has to offer.
We arrived on campus on a brew-tiful fall morning, and were excited to grab our first cup of joe. We started our adventure at TRU’s Old Main building. When entering Old Main, we were greeted by the ever familiar green mermaid; you guessed it, Starbucks. The line looked daunting, but we were able to get a coffee in our hands within 5 minutes.
TASTE TEST #1
You can tell by the look on our faces that this coffee was worth the big bucks. We got an iced coffee with soy milk and sweetener, and it was delicious. Beyond the coffee, the atmosphere around Starbucks was warm and cozy, inviting us to take our first coffee break.
Thanks to the pleasant atmosphere and great coffee, we gave Starbucks a 4.5/5 bean rating.
Our next destination was just around the corner; the Brown Family House of Learning, or as locals call it, HOL.
HOL is a beautiful four-story glass building in the center of TRU’s campus, and is home to Canada’s very own Tim Hortons. Unfortunately, the Timmies on campus is notorious for long lines, and we experienced that firsthand. However, the coffee was well worth the wait.
TASTE TEST #2
Our double-double was the perfect pour, but the atmosphere was a bit too chaotic. Because of this, we gave Tim Hortons 3.5/5 beans.
The third and final stop of our coffee crawl was Common Grounds in the Campus Activity Centre, or CAC.
Common Grounds is a student owned and operated coffee shop on campus, which makes it unique in comparison to their competitors. In addition, they offer fair trade organic espresso, biodegradable cups, and living wages for their student employees. While these are great attributes, we were there to judge one thing and one thing only: coffee.
OUR FINAL TASTE TEST
We indulged in a vanilla latte and it was love at first sip. The seating area was bright, but sadly not very comfortable, which determined our 4/5 bean rating for Common Grounds.
Although we set out to taste some quality coffee, we ended the day with much more than that. Nothing brings university students together like coffee does. At each stop, we looked around and saw that conversation and coffee go hand in hand. We experienced TRU as not just a school, but as a vibrant and close-knit community. TRU is the perfect place to sit and enjoy good coffee and good company, because after all, everyone needs a coffee break.
