Have you ever thought that the plain black coffee from the SPA cafeteria is too bland for your meticulous taste? And you aren’t weren’t able to stop by Caribou before school? Especially during exam season, staying awake and alert for these tests is crucial. Since many teenagers are very reliant on coffee to keep them awake through the tiring school day, getting caffeinated beverages is a must for some. So, if you’ve ever had that thought, there are many ways to scavenge ingredients to make some unique beverages to keep you awake for the day. The cafeteria has many hidden gems around, so if you know what to look for, there are a significant number of options to choose from. 

1. Mocha: sweet and caffeinated

A café mocha, also called mochaccino, is a chocolate-flavored variant of a café latte. The main ingredients in a mocha include milk, espresso, and chocolate. For the classic hot beverage, the SPA ice cream bar makes making a mocha very easy and accessible. If you’re in a rush before class but want a sweet beverage, you can make a mocha on-the-go with some school black coffee, chocolate syrup from the ice cream bar, and a bit of creamer. 

2. Iced Coffee: perfect for a student on-the-go

If hot coffee is too much for you to handle in the morning, but you didn’t have time to buy an iced caffeinated beverage, there is an easy solution. Behind the coffee counter, in the cooking area, there is an ice machine. If you ask one of SPA’s cafeteria chef’s to get some ice for you, you can make some iced coffee. Fill the cup half-way with ice, then fill about ¾ up the cup with coffee. Fill the rest with milk and add sugar to your taste. 

3. Mocha Milkshake: an SPA take on the frappé

A form of iced coffee, frappés are made by blending espresso, milk, ice, and sugar into a milkshake/ smoothie consistency. While the steps of making an actual frappé are slightly more complicated, making one on-the-go is not impossible. SPA’s access to ice cream makes up for the school’s lack of blender. You can make your own mocha milkshake by partially filling your  cup with soft-serve ice cream and filling the rest with coffee and chocolate. This sweet treat can be a fun change of pace from regular lunchtime ice cream, while giving you the caffeine needed to get through the day.