(Photo courtesy of Kaitlyn Renda) UMass Lowell students wait in line to order drinks and snacks at Caribou Coffee on campus.

Kaitlyn Renda
Connector Contributor

After a late night of cramming, studying, or binging the latest popular Netflix series, there is only one thing that can help you make it through the next day: caffeine. Whether you get your fix from coffee, tea, or energy drinks, drinking a caffeinated beverage can make or break your long day of classes. Luckily for UMass Lowell students, a brand-new coffee shop has made its debut on South Campus.

Caribou Coffee, located on the first floor of the O’Leary Library, is UMass Lowell’s newest addition to campus. Caribou carries the standard coffee shop favorites such as hot and iced coffees, teas, refreshers, lattes and other snacks and sweets. They also introduced their seasonal fall menu, which includes various pumpkin and apple-flavored drinks and treats.

It also provides quick, convenient service, as the coffee shop is located right in the library. Students can stop by quickly and grab their favorite drinks before class, without having to leave their house or dorm earlier or going off campus. Students can also use their Riverhawk Dollars here, so the line goes notably faster than a shop where everyone has different payment methods. Here, all you have to do is order, tap your Student ID, and wait for them to call your name.

While Caribou’s wide menu selection and convenient location seem to be perfect for the average college student, it has also created some tension amongst the South Campus community. Before the introduction of Caribou Coffee, Starbucks had served as South Campus’s coffee shop. While both Starbucks and Caribou have similar menus and prices, many students miss the ability to get Starbucks on South Campus.
Many students argue that Starbucks’ handcrafted drinks are significantly better quality than Caribou Coffee’s.

They also enjoy the familiarity of being able to get their regular order and having it taste the same. Since Starbucks’ locations are more widespread than Caribou Coffee, students are already familiar with what they do or don’t like. With a new shop, it might take multiple tries until students figure out what their “normal” order is.

While there are still two Starbucks on campus, located at the Meehan Student Center and Lyndon Library, students who live and attend classes on South Campus must travel far just to get their morning coffee. Elsa Freeman, a sophomore psychology major, agreed with this statement. She prefers Starbucks but only has Caribou as a convenient option on South Campus. Freeman is not the only one who feels this way. Many students share her preference for Starbucks.

Some students, however, support the switch. It introduces a wide array of new options that they might prefer over their normal order at Star- bucks. When UMass Lowell junior, Ms. Lily Sophon was asked whether she would bring Starbucks back to South Campus, she said she prefers Starbucks but would rather keep Caribou Coffee on campus. “Caribou is still learning,” Sophon stated. She is giving Caribou grace as their employees are all recently hired; she plans to form her final opinion after the employees have had more time to adjust.

Whether people enjoying Caribou Coffee or missing Starbucks, students all have their own opinion on what coffee shop belongs in the O’Leary Library. No matter your opinion, we can all agree on one thing. As UMass Lowell senior Ms. Haleigh Harris stated, “I’m just happy to have coffee back on South.”