Summary

Millennials frequent coffee shops not just for the beverage, but for the vibrant atmosphere conducive to studying, social interaction, and forming relationships, despite the cost.

Abstract

The article delves into the reasons behind millennials' significant spending on coffee, emphasizing the social and academic benefits of coffee shop culture. It suggests that the lively environment of coffee shops is preferable for group study and interactive learning, which is more engaging than silent libraries. Moreover, coffee shops provide a platform for millennials to forge new friendships and relationships outside of work or school, with events like karaoke nights and poetry jams facilitating casual conversations and shared interests. The article also notes a trend among millennials to drink less alcohol, partly due to the risks of social media exposure, making coffee shops a safer social space. Ultimately, the author argues that the value of human interaction and the enjoyable experience at coffee shops justify the expenditure, even though the money could be invested elsewhere.

Opinions

Studying in coffee shops is favored over libraries due to the interactive and lively atmosphere that promotes group discussions and collaborative learning.
Coffee shops are seen as ideal places for millennials to build friendships and engage in diverse activities, unlike more formal or solitary environments like libraries or homes.
The rise of social media surveillance has led to a decrease in alcohol consumption among millennials, making coffee shops more appealing as social venues without the stigma associated with alcohol.
The author believes that the social benefits and the opportunity for human interaction at coffee shops outweigh the financial cost, despite acknowledging that the money could be better invested.
Coffee shops are perceived as safe and inviting spaces that encourage socialization without the risks or repercussions associated with other social settings.

Why Do Millennials Waste Money On Coffee?

Millennials spend an exorbitant amount of money in coffee shops, all in the name of human interaction.

Let’s admit it. Some of us drink too much coffee.

My white chocolate mocha with an extra shot of espresso and soy-milk costs $6.73 at the local coffee shop. Buying coffee five times a week amounts to $1,615.20 a year.

But damn, it is worth it.

As a millennial, I figured I should answer the question: why do millennials spend so much money on coffee?

1. Coffee shops offer a lively environment to study for college students

Some people enjoy studying in dead silence. Those people prefer no distractions, especially from other people. Those people find studying and repetition with themselves to be the best way to learn.

The one time I chose to try this in a library, I became impatient after ten or fifteen minutes. I looked around the library and found everyone hypnotized on whatever textbook or laptop they gazed into. I left and entered a coffee shop instead.

Studying is better when it’s interactive. Studying alone in a library that’s dead silent hardly qualifies as interactive.

Studying is better in a group, where people can bounce questions off each other and provide explanations to those that don’t understand. That’s why studying in a coffee shop is so much fun; it’s never quiet and allows discussion to occur in preparation for the midterm or final.

Put it this way: if you were trying to learn a foreign language, which would you enjoy more? Memorizing vocabulary in silence, or practicing with another person?

What good would come out of learning to pronounce the language in a library, where everyone else is quiet? You’d feel odd speaking aloud in dead silence, and people would likely look at you funny.

Studying in a coffee shop is a different scenario. While people may still look at you funny pronouncing words you might not know how to say correctly, it does prompt one or two people to ask you what you’re studying, which could lead to a beneficial conversation.

Once, I overheard two people discussing an article for a Mexican American studies course. I asked what professor it was for, and we engaged in small talk about the different identities in Mexican American culture that exist throughout the U.S.

This is just one example of how studying in a coffee shop is a lively environment, as it creates discussion.

2. Coffee shops lead to new friendships and relationships

For many millennials, their friends tend to be coworkers. For those still in college, it’s challenging to maintain a friendship with people you only have class with for a semester.

So how does a millennial form relationships with people outside of work or school? A bar is one option, but lots of people who go there do so to get drunk or get laid.

Places like coffee shops are great for building friendships and casual conversation. You can find all kinds of people in coffee shops. Some go to study. Others go to read. Some go to draw or paint. And others go to converse.

Occasionally, you’ll find a coffee shop that does karaoke night, chess night, poetry jams, or other small events. Coffee shops will do this to attract more customers.

This is of benefit to people who want to build friendships. There’s no harm in you going up to recite your favorite poem or sing your favorite song. People who enjoy your show will tell you so, which gives you the opportunity to engage in small talk.

Two complete strangers can become friends at a coffee shop, something that is not easily done in places like a library, a restaurant, or studying at home.

You also have the option of inviting a classmate from your college class or a coworker to engage in small talk at a coffee shop. It’s very informal but inviting to people who want to converse or study.

When you ask a classmate if they would like to study together for the midterm, which would you choose: studying on campus, or studying in a coffee shop?

Studying on-campus might be too formal. While the goal is to pass the exam, it becomes a chore to do so. It’s difficult to engage in small talk and build a relationship with the other person when your sole focus is the exam.

Studying in a coffee shop with a classmate is the better option. You can engage in small talk while studying for the exam, which allows you to learn the other person’s interests. By doing so, you are both able to be much more productive.

To put it another way, studying is a chore. Learning is a choice. When your focus is only on studying, your mind will choose not to retain so much information. If your focus is on learning, your mind will recall so much more in the long term.

Building a relationship with your classmate is healthy. You’ll find it easier to prepare for the next exam when you’re more comfortable with the person. It’s easier to learn with someone than to study with them.

3. Millennials are drinking less alcohol

With the rise of social media came the rise of monitoring and mass surveillance. People have been fired when evidence of them drinking alcohol surfaced on social media.

Almost half of all employers screen potential candidates online before hiring them. While alcohol is less of a determining factor now, it still left an impact on millennials.

Millennials are now drinking less alcoholic beverages because they don’t want evidence of them being drunk to end up on social media.

While non-alcoholic beers are a choice, coffee shops are much better option in spending time with friends since there is no stigma on coffee, as opposed to beers in general.

The last thing a millennial wants is for a picture or video of them drinking to end up shared on social media. It tarnishes their reputation professionally if discovered by potential or current employers. Coffee doesn’t carry that stigma.

Conclusion:

Coffee shops offer something many places cannot offer: human interaction. For a person who seeks human interaction, going to a coffee shop allows us to become social in an environment that is safe and inviting without risk or repercussion.

It’s worth spending $5 or $6 on a latte or frappuccino and engage with other people there. Even though the money would be better off invested in the stock market, as I mention here, going out of the house and sitting down for a cup of coffee with friends is worth it.

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