A review of the flavors the dining commons has to offer.

By Melissa Farthing, Staff Writer/Artist

With all the stressful factors associated with college, it makes sense that many students rely on coffee to power them through each day. Luckily, the Dining Commons has Huntington University students covered, providing unlimited coffee (regular and decaf) with multiple creamer choices. But did you know that there’s another drink option located in the same area of the DC that many people overlook?

That’s right, the DC is the perfect place to get your daily tea fix! Just grab a to-go cup, pour in some hot water and drop a tea bag in. It’s that simple! And with so many flavor choices, there’s bound to be something for every student here at HU.

Now, some coffee lovers may be wary to begin incorporating tea into their daily routine. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good cup of joe in the morning, but I also have a strong affinity for tea because of its many positive properties.

One great thing about tea is that it contains antioxidants. According to TODAY, the antioxidants found in tea work to get rid of the “rust” in your body and protect you from the harmful chemicals found in pollution. 

Another cool aspect of tea is that it can be enjoyed both morning and night. Worried that tea is solely a sleepy-time drink? You would be incorrect, my friend. Many varieties of tea contain caffeine, and some contain almost as much as coffee! If you’re looking for a good type of tea to start your morning off right, go for black tea.

Finally, tea has an endless amount of flavor options. Different coffee beans can produce slightly dissimilar coffee varieties, but all coffee pretty much has that same, classic Espresso taste. To add flavor, many coffee drinkers rely on syrups and creamers, which contain sugar. Tea is a different story. Tea possesses zero grams of sugar and has over 3,000 varieties, according to Tea Source–more diversity without the negative health effects.

Speaking of diversity, the DC offers over ten different tea bag choices. That means that if you drank one cup of tea daily, you could go two school weeks without having the same flavor of tea. Some delicious varieties that the DC offers include Lemon Lift, Mint Medley, Sweet Dreams, Green Tea with Pomegranate, Lemon Ginger, Cozy Chamomile, and more.

I’ve tried a few of these flavors, as well as others, over the course of my short time here at Huntington. So far, my favorites are Cranberry Apple and Orange & Spice. Both have a warm, comforting autumn vibe to them with just the right amount of sweetness and spice. I’ve also enjoyed the Lemon Lift tea. It has a wonderful citrusy scent and taste to it. Two teas I did not care for include Cozy Chamomile and Sweet Dreams. I found the Cozy Chamomile to have an overall unpleasant taste, and the Sweet Dreams was too strong for my liking.

It’s clear that tea is another beverage that can provide college students, or anyone else, with loads of satisfaction. If you’re growing tiresome of coffee, next time you’re at the DC, stop by the coffee station and grab yourself a piping hot cup of flavorful tea!