I can’t possibly forget the first time I experienced coffee. I use the word “experience” instead of “drunk” because, after taking it, the after effect was quite an experience.
At 10 p.m., I stood in the middle of the doorway leading to the Physiology Auditorium, my tote bag on my left hand and the almighty Biochemistry textbook on my right.
Designed My Pictures Using Canva
I felt like a samurai, yielding his sword, ready to conquer his opponent in a battle. Except in this case, my opponent was the exam I had the next day, and my “sword” consisted of my textbook and the two little packets of instant coffee that lay in my bag.
This was going to be a long night. I had never taken coffee, but from what my friends told me, coffee was the one thing I needed to stay awake and alert throughout the night. I couldn’t risk falling asleep, as there were some vital topics I needed to cover before the next day.
I stepped into the hall and found myself a comfortable place to settle down. After reciting a quick prayer, I poured the two packets of coffee inside my bottle and mixed it with water. Then I gulped it all at once, without any sugar or milk.
Now that was my first mistake; I didn’t know the quantity of water required to mix one packet, talk more of two. I just ignorantly drank the whole thing in one go and proceeded to read my books.
In the first hour, I was wide awake and alert. I was beginning to love this new coffee thing. And then, out of nowhere, this massive headache attacks me. I tried reading, but my eyes were basically useless.
I couldn’t hold my head up for more than 5 seconds. And on top of that, there was no electricity, so the whole hall was pitch black. I had to use the light reflecting from a neighbor’s torch to read. Straining my already tired eyes was just a futile attempt.
I struggled to read, but after a while, I gave up. I had no other option but to lay my head on the desk and sleep. If I was getting any knowledge, I might as well rest up for the next day.
I like to call this my Coffee Deflowering story. I don’t know if the headache happened because the mixture was too concentrated or if it was because it was my first time. What I do know is that, subsequently after this event, and even up until now, coffee has yet to fail me again.
Granted, I revised my coffee mix recipe and adjusted the coffee to water ratio, but to this day, I have loved every cup of coffee I’ve made. It just always manages to hit the spot and keep my eyes wide open and my brain attentive.
My university story will be incredibly incomplete without coffee. The numerous study sessions I’ve had and the coffee dates with friends, which usually preceded more study sessions,. My time in school is literally littered with a lot of coffee and more coffee.
So the one reason I take coffee is to revel in it's amazing awakening properties.
All Images used are mine.
