As the cold weather, freezing winds and icy precipitation settle in over Baltimore, Hopkins students explore many strategies to keep warm.
One of the most popular sources of heat comes in the form of a trendy winter beverage.
Of course, where you go and what you drink depends largely on your status on the Hopkins campus.
For many, a cup of plain coffee from just about anywhere will do, but some use a distinctive drink to distinguish themselves from the typical Hopkins undergrad.
Graduate students tend to frequent alternative, hipster coffee shops. They seem to get coffee on the hour, every hour, and chat in large groups while they enjoy their drinks in between teaching hoards of confused undergraduates.
With this crowd, it's all about the caffeine. Specifically, the more the better. After all, dissertations don't write themselves. They order espresso (the stuff that comes in those tiny cups on miniature saucers), and their refined palates can handle the extremely bitter brew with only a few drops of milk (preferably soy) added in for dilution.
Caf8e Q, Carma's Caf8e and One World Caf8e are all popular spots for graduate students. Caf8e Q offers unbeatable convenience, located on the top level of the MSE Library. Their coffee's pretty good, but the lines can be long (especially in the 10-minute breaks between classes) and the atmosphere tends to be more frantic than conducive to chat or labor.
Carma's- Caf8e, located on 32nd Street, has a much nicer setup. Tucked away in a small room below street level, cozy tables, complete with comfortable pillows, and delicious coffee make this place a hipsters' haven. They also serve delicious sandwiches, soups and pastries.
Their only drawback is their limited hours. They close at 4 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
One World Caf8e, an even more popular hipster hangout on University Parkway, stays open a little later.
Their healthy, vegan-friendly menu, offbeat clientele, and variety of caffeine fixes attract students during the day. At night, collegians are drawn to their more sophisticated bar scene.
Pretty much the only place a graduate student won't be caught dead in is Starbucks.
However, the coffee chain is the perfect destination for girls with tote bags emblazoned with Greek letters. These girls don't care what they're drinking, as long as it takes a minimum of five minutes to repeat the order to the barista and includes one or more of the following: "skinny," "non-fat," "sugar-free" and "no whip."
Mochas and lattes are good for the winter. They're sweet enough to cover the bitter taste of strong Starbucks brews, and warm enough that you can drink them walking to your next class.
Starbucks also offers an appealing ambiance along with its beverages, and if the one on Saint Paul Street gets too crowded, you can always walk across the street and get the same drinks at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore.
Both stores usually play soothing music, and they have comfortable couches where you can sit down and chat with friends.
Some people also like to go to Starbucks alone to get work done.
While it might feel a little weird sitting alone in such a social atmosphere, typing away, bringing along your laptop announces loudly to the other patrons that you are a sophisticated, hip and incredibly busy college student.
But what if coffee isn't really your thing? Athletes and others stay warm on really cold nights at the neighborhood bars: PJ's and the Charles Village Pub.
Both offer similar, reasonably priced drink menus and atmospheres (read: respectable frat parties for juniors and seniors who miss that scene; plus you get some Charles Village locals mixed into the crowd). You're likely to find the truly dedicated regulars on a snowy Tuesday night (which is also the night of PJ's popular drink special on Coronas).
And while the drinks themselves may not be hot, you're likely to find the walk home a little less chilling than the walk there.
