The Importance of Coffee

Written by Megan Li

I did not drink coffee before I came to Hillsdale. Because both of my parents are Chinese, coffee was an aspect of American culture that my family never picked up on. But, little did I know, coffee would quickly become a part of my life here at Hillsdale College. 

However, coffee was the last thing on my mind during freshman orientation. I saw flashes of new faces, remembered one moment and forgotten the next. Classes and credits demanded attention. Club meeting times whirled out of my schedule’s reach, for said schedule was crowded with new activities and appointments.

But then, reaching like a hand through the fiery furnace of adjustment, a fellow student asked me, “Would you like to get a coffee sometime?”

Having grown up in a tiny school, I never received such an invitation before. Everyone saw everyone often enough anyway, so it dropped off the list of priorities. I still remember the warm feeling that spread through me the first time I was asked such a simple question. Now I finally had an excuse to indulge in a Penny’s special latte, a drink I had been eyeing since first touring campus. 

For the first few coffees, I was quaking in my boots. Were these intimidating upperclassmen going to find me as interesting and fun as they thought I would be? I soon came to realize, however, that coffee was never about making others want to be my friend—because it was never about me to begin with.

Inside the sunlight-bathed walls of Penny’s, I had the privilege of looking into the eyes of another human being and listening to her story. Taking the time to foster a relationship was as simple and as world-changing as that. 

Hillsdale is full of busy people—no doubt about it. They are not afraid to work hard and cross their limits with flying colors day by day. But they will also slow down in precious moments to spend time with the people they care about. For the people of Hillsdale know the beauties and joys of friendship arise from what is put in, just as a tree needs water and sunshine to grow. 

Of course, coffee does not always mean something “aesthetic”—it can be a desperate energy spike at unholy hours of the night in order to finish that essay due the next day. It also means loud laughter, smile creases beside shining eyes, flailing hands slapping tables as a particularly dramatic story is described. It means poring over readings, the scent of coffee keeping you company. An hour into the “study session,” open books lie unread as you carry on an unstoppable conversation with a friend, sharing knowing glances and eager nods. 

The community of Hillsdale is something I never thought I would find—a group of people willing to walk by my side and teach me the value of community, something I had been waiting my entire life to know. Here at Hillsdale, I have never been more grateful or more excited to say yes to coffee.

Megan Li, ’27, is a sophomore studying economics and journalism. When she isn’t consuming an unhealthy amount of caffeine to finish her homework, you can find her curled up with a good book, taking photos outdoors, or playing her guitar.

Published in November 2024