I recently started working at Brown and Brew, a café on campus frequented by Tufts students and faculty alike, as well as non-Tufts community members. In addition to being a great work environment, Brown and Brew is also a great place for me to learn about the people that make up this vibrant population. And this week, I made some observations:
No one is rude. At all. If we take a little longer to make a drink, or we run out of a favorite sandwich, nobody minds. Our customers are always polite and greet us with smiles.
For every person who knows exactly what they’re doing, there’s someone who doesn’t. Every coffee shop has a different layout and different traditions, and it’s easy to get lost in Brown & Brew. We have our customers pick up their order at a side counter, rather than handing it to them, and the milk and sugar are self-serve. So we often see people who need help finding their way. Don’t worry if that person is you.
College students never order decaf.
Boston accents are wonderful.
No one is out of place in a coffee shop. While you of course get your studious-scholars and your friends-catching-up, you also get the guy-who-just-drank-a-double-espresso-but-is-now-napping-in-the-corner and the girl-who-is-clearly-just-trying-to-escape-the-heat. All are welcome.
Making smoothies for other people but not being able to make your own for another hour is a low-key form of torture.
Going to a coffee shop and ordering a drink is just about as frequent as not ordering one (we have a wide array of pastries and other snacks).
The cookies always go first. Get there fast if you want one.
After my shift was over I also decided to start a tradition of making a Weekly Concoction. This week’s creation is as follows:
A spiced chai frappé (using whole milk) with 3 shots of vanilla and a caramel drizzle on top.
The verdict:
Spiced chai is indeed very spicy. Took a couple of sips to get used to, but definitely kept me awake and refreshed. 8/10.