This or That: Jittery Joe's or Starbucks

If you’re like me, you have established your series of ideal study places and know exactly which places works for what type of studying you’re doing.
If one of your study places is an establishment where you can order food or drinks, you may have even become one of the regulars -- those loyal customers that everyone recognizes. If you’re lucky, the establishment of your choice may have your drink or meal ready for you as soon as you walk through the door.
I’m not that lucky -- I keep changing my mind. The baristas never know what to expect from me.
When it’s time for me to hit the books, coffee shops are usually my first stop before I consider anywhere else. Coffee shops, in general, usually have long hours that accommodate the average college student’s sleep/study habits and they have caffeine right there waiting for you.
There used to be three main varieties of coffee shops around macon, but sadly Joshua Cup is no longer a thing. That coffee shop, in my opinion, is what the quintessential college town coffee shop was supposed to look like. It’s a shame they closed down.
However, I digress. This article isn’t about Joshua Cup. As the title states, this article is This or That, implying the comparison of two different things, the things in the subhead.
This is a battle between Starbucks and our neighborhood Jittery Joe’s.
Plus, the argument for this article would have been a lot more complicated if I had three boxers trying to duke it out and only two spots in the boxing ring.
Just to be fair, I go to Jittery Joe’s and Starbucks frequently, but I will definitely drive the fifteen or so minutes across town to Starbucks when I really need to get some homework done. I prefer Starbucks for a multitude of reasons.
When I study, I try to make myself as anonymous as possible. That means going to a place where I will run into the least amount of people that I know or know me as possible.
Best case scenario, I don’t recognize a single person where I am. Of course, the longer I stay in Macon, the harder this task becomes, but I manage.
Starbucks is perfect for becoming anonymous. Not many of my friends or Mercer brethren take the trek to Starbucks, so I’m able to get a lot done.
At Jittery Joe’s, I usually end up running into at the very least two people I know and we always start up conversations. I’m usually doing homework so I’m much more likely to take advantage of the opportunity to procrastinate and chat it up with the people I know.
To go along the same lines as making myself anonymous is the issue of environment. I love the environment of Starbucks. Jittery Joe’s is almost always packed. There are way too many people in there and just not enough space to fit them all in. Plus, the decor is too dark that it feels like walking into a cave.
Now caves are great, I love the cave like atmosphere to do reading and relaxing with a cup of coffee, but for my study needs I need a bright, airy space. Starbucks does that for me.
The coffee is much better at Starbucks, or at least it’s more tolerable. Nothing against Jittery Joe’s coffee, but it is so strong that it’s a turn off.
The strength of this coffee is enough to turn me into a shaky mess only after a few sips. I can’t focus. I’m all over the place -- it’s dangerous. Plus, Starbucks has that new rewards program. I’m half way to gold membership. Need. More. Coffee.
I would choose Starbucks over Jittery Joe’s any day. I do love that Jittery Joe’s is so close to campus and it’s a nice place to relax, have class, or class meetings. But for the hardcore studying and/or coffee drinking ventures, Starbucks is my coffee shop of choice.

 

Comments on this opinion can be sent to cecilia.villagomez@live.mercer.edu