As midterms fade into memory and finals draw near, caffeine consumption among TCU students has surged to a semester high.
Across campus, coffee cups have become nearly as common as laptops.
From early morning lectures to late-night study sessions, caffeine has become the unofficial currency of student motivation.
Inside Bistro Burnett, located in the Mary Couts Burnett Library, the smell of roasted beans mixes with the quiet buzz of focused students.
Barista and cashier Samuel Macias said that while customer traffic is steady, caffeine orders have increased noticeably in recent weeks.
“It’s been pretty much the same since we started, but a little bit more people have been coming over to get more drinks and coffee,” Macias said. “We’ve recently seen a 15% to 25% increase in caffeine sales.”
Macias said espresso-based drinks, iced coffees and regular drip coffee continue to dominate orders.
“Decaf is like the most desired espresso type that we sell,” Macias said. “People always need something to wake them up.”
Even tea drinkers often choose caffeinated options such as peach or hibiscus, Macias said, noting that most students still want an energy boost regardless of their preferred drink.
While the rise in coffee sales aligns with the academic crunch, a new dining plan benefit might be playing a larger role.
According to the TCU Dining website, all 2025–26 Block Plans will include Bottomless Cup, which provides unlimited free drip coffee at any on-campus retail location selling coffee.
Students with a Block Plan will also be able to add extra Dining Dollars for more flexibility with beverage purchases.
For some students, like Kierstyn Wright, a junior economics and Spanish double major, this discovery has changed their daily routine.
“I just found out that I get free coffee with the purple meal plan,” she said. “Honestly, I get coffee every day, if not twice a day now, more than I used to.”
With coffee more accessible than ever, students are finding caffeine to be an essential study tool during the semester’s final stretch.
