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Printer-Friendly ModeStarbucks brings college feel
November 19, 2007 —
Sometimes when I visit my friends at other universities, I start to feel a little jealous. There are so many campus towns and campuses around Michigan that have an unmistakable feel of college-ness about them. It's the feeling that I don't get very often when I'm on SVSU's campus. Sure, we have the C-Store, and the dorms, some fountains, and enough posters on the walls to cover a small town in Red Pride, but I always felt like it was lacking something.
I don't think that I'm alone when I say that I'd love to walk across Pierce Road and go shopping, or browse through a collection of CDs at a music store, or grab a Taco Bell fourth meal. Or what if we could go to a dinner and movie without having to use a car? But what I feel is missing the most is a coffee nook where college students can hang out and relax to the sounds of soft jazz and a warm cup of coffee. In my book, nothing says 'college' more than a good coffee spot. So needless to say, when I first stepped into the new Starbucks in Science East, I was very, very happy.
I've never been a fan of those drinks made with syrup, sugar, flavoring, and maybe a hint of coffee. Give it to me black, or not at all. But a black coffee tastes so much better when Duke Ellington serenades you as you sink into a soft arm chair under amber lights. It's hard not to relax in a place like that. And it's hard not to think that it's starting to feel like a true campus around here when a Starbucks pops up in the middle of Science East.
In lieu of having an actual college town and happening campus, it's good to see that SVSU is making the effort to make us feel more like a college campus instead of a bunch of buildings at a commuter school. I'm hoping that I can come back ten or fifteen years from now and see how much more has developed on campus since my time here. Hopefully, if SVSU starts to show that it can keep students on campus over the weekends and at night, maybe the area around us will start to respond. How nice would it be to have a bookstore, (book, not textbook) some restaurants, or even a Meijer within walking distance of the dorms? Or what if SVSU students had somewhere to meet up after class besides a bar?
I think a lot of these dreams of mine are going to be a long time in coming, but I do believe that they will get here eventually. The new Starbucks is proof that SVSU is willing to put in the effort to create a great campus for its students. Now all it needs is our support.
So what if you're a cheapskate (like me) and don't like paying more than a buck for a cup of coffee and a doughnut? Stop in sometime anyways. Pull out your biology notes or that old novel you've been meaning to read, and settle into one of those cushy chairs. Soak it all in, and enjoy being a part of the new atmosphere on campus, even if you're not a coffee fan.
Starbucks has been open for only a week, so it's a little early to see how well it's going to fare with it pricey coffee. But I'm hoping it sticks around for awhile. SVSU is slowly coming changing - bit by bit, we're starting to feel like a true campus, and this is definitely a step in the right direction.