Mixing it up: Coffee gets a facelift

Illustration by Jorge Waggoner

Tired of the same old Frappuccino or bland, black coffee? So are we.

There are tons of ways to enhance your daily coffee experience by adding a few ingredients. Be warned: it can get costly. But, hey, we’d rather be happy and broke than bored and financially stable.

For all you bored frappe lovers who think that frappes are loaded with caffeine (they aren’t), here are some ways to make your drink special:

1. Add and extra shot of espresso and flavor syrup. Adding some shots can give you a pleasant jitter, and adding some flavor syrups can make your drink less bitter. Hint: make the shots “affogato” to get the most out of your coffee.
2. Got extra cash? Buy a cookie or a cheesecake and ask the barista to blend it in the frappe! For example; ask for a tall java chip frappe in a venti cup and add a chocolate chip cookie or a chocolate cheesecake in the blender. It will taste like a milkshake with coffee that will make you regret eating your $5 lunch.
3. Ask for caramel or mocha drizzle on the side of the cup! If the barista is nice, they wont charge you for it, and you get a pretty decoration for your Instagram picture.
4. Add java chips. You can add them to practically any Frappuccino, and you get a nice chocolate chip shake that makes your 8 a.m. class a little more tolerable.

Not into any blended drinks? Going back to the basics is nice, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a little creative:

1. Add soy, almond, or coconut milk to any hot or iced coffee to make it thick and sweet. Add coco sprinkles, Nutella, or mocha/caramel/strawberry syrup to enhance the taste.
2. ‘Tis the season for pumpkin and peppermint, so add a few pumps in your coffee and you wont regret it! Also, add the spices on top to give it a little dazzle.

Not a Starbucks person, but still want your coffee? There are many other places you can creatively get your caffeine fix:

1. Go to any tea house and get a frozen coffee with boba or jelly so you can have a chewy surprise at the bottom of your cup.
2. Go to a donut shop and ask them to put donut powder or sprinkles in your coffee.
3. Not the “crazy drink” type? Just add whipped cream.
4. Try getting an ice coffee, blended.

Are you an awesome person who does awesome things like make your own coffee at home? Here’s some ways you can make your home-brew coffee unique:

1. Try it Vietnamese style and add sweetened, condensed milk.
2. You can’t go wrong with adding your favorite ice cream on top.
3. Add cinnamon sticks or pocky sticks to save a spoon and add a fun twist.
4. Make bad decisions and add alcohol.
5. Be a kid again and add candy such as Hershey’s kisses or peppermints.
6. Add espresso shots if you work the night shift (or the morning shift).
7. Add tic-tacs (no, seriously—do it).
8. Throw in some fruit. It sounds gross, but give it a try anyways.