Some students need caffeine throughout the day to keep themselves conscious while handling their tumultuous schedule. Boba and coffee both contain caffeine, and here, I will be revealing whether AHS students enjoy boba more or coffee more.

Bubble tea, or boba, originated in Taiwan in the 1980s, and it evolved over the decades. In this Asian community, most students like boba because of the “chewiness of the drink,” like junior Harris Chan. Students also like it because it has so many varieties and flavors from milk tea to passion fruits, and it can be “both a snack and a drink at the same time because [one] can enjoy the tapioca pearls and drink the tea at the same time,” according to junior Doris Li. In addition, senior Koby Truong thinks “the magical elixir of life” made boba better than coffee. Most importantly, boba shops are a dime a dozen in this community, unlike coffee shops, which are mainly based from large corporations rather than individual businesses.

Coffee, on the other hand, originated in Ethiopia and has been popular, especially in Europe, for a long time. The main reason students like coffee is because “it keeps [them] up later than boba,” according to junior Courtney Chan. Some just enjoy the taste of coffee, like junior Armine Kasabyan, who likes dark roasted coffee and black coffee with some sugar because of the “bitter, yet natural coffee taste.” Similarly, junior Brandon Mejia likes coffee, because “the taste and smell help [him] relax and calm [him] down.” Freshman Clarisse Gao, on the other hand, prefers coffee over boba simply because she thinks that “boba is easier to get sick of,” and enjoys the long-lasting pleasure of having a cup of sweet coffee.

Overall, 91% of students in a 32-student poll voted for bubble tea over coffee, making the sweet and versatile drink the favored caffeinated beverage among Arcadians!