An Ode To Coffee: A Beverage That Is Holding My Hand Through A Pandemic

For those who like to grab a cup of coffee even before checking their WhatsApp notifications in the morning, I relate with you. I started drinking coffee when I was in eighth grade. Since then, I have been in a stable and committed relationship with it. The thought of cheating on coffee with tea never occurred to me, even when ill.

Though I am a feminist, it tugged my heartstrings to read that back in the 15th century, a Turkish law stated that a woman could divorce her husband if he didn’t provide her with enough coffee. Just so you know, Turkish coffee was included in the 2013 UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and I think I know why. Drinking coffee can also be a communal experience, bringing people close to each other, filling them with warmth and a sense of energy.

My journey with coffee has been nothing short of bliss. Initially, I started having coffee just to drown the compulsory glass of milk my mother handed to me. Gradually, I developed a taste for it. Coffee breaks became more frequent and my coffee, darker.

My mornings cannot be good without a cup of coffee. A good cup of coffee holds the power to transform me from a sleepy and grumpy person, still tangled in a cobweb of dreams, to energetic and ready for the world. Moreover, for late-night study sessions, coffee is a must. It’s the only reason I survived my twelfth grade. During my exams,  there’d be two books, a bunch of stationary, my phone, and a nice mug of cold coffee on my study table. Once I was hooked to it, I couldn’t stand the taste of energy drinks.

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It is not just about the flavour though, the aroma of piping hot coffee seems to reach the deepest recesses of my soul. If it were up to me, I would burn coffee-scented candles all over my house. How that smell soothes all my senses! It’s been with me through my ups and downs, whether I was sitting with my friends for a hearty chat or drowning my sorrows all on my own.

Prepared in various ways, it can be diversified in strength and sweetness to suit one’s palate. Some like it dark and bitter, while others prefer their coffee to be sweet and milky. I like my coffee strong with just a hint of sugar. Just talking about it makes me want to dash to the kitchen and prepare a mug. Strangely, it’s easier for me to trust someone who likes mildly bitter coffee like me. Infact it takes me longer to trust people who choose tea over coffee, always.

We cannot forget the importance of coffee in our social lives. In college, getting coffee is an excuse for a short break between consecutive lectures. The number of days when I sat with my friends on our college terrace with coffee and a snack, chatting away to glory, are countless. The easiest places to have conversations are cafes. ‘Let’s go for coffee’ became a melody by the first semester of college life.

Also Read: I Am Resolutely Committed To The Future Of Coffee Day: Director Malavika Hegde

The coffee culture also had a great impact on our dating lives. It gives into no restriction of when and where. It allows for a short meet and greet, in case you plan to politely bid farewell to your date. It’s not just a drink, it’s a lifestyle for some like me, while a culture for others.

Here's to the beverage that wakes us up, motivates us to get out there to conquer the world, elevates our mood and is there to cheer us up even when a pandemic shuts our coffee shops and keeps us from visiting our friends or going out on a date.

Photo by Chris Knight on Unsplash

Bhavya Gupta is an intern with SheThePeople.TV. The views expressed are the author’s own.