Cedars, August 2018

August 2018 6 FRESHMAN ISSUE Coffee Shop Comparison by Callahan Jones F or many college students, coffee is the only thing that keeps them on their feet. If not used as a means of survival, some college students even enjoy drinking coffee in a recreational manner. Fortunately, you don’t have to rely on a can of Folgers from Dollar General for your caf- feine needs. There are three unique coffee shops in Cedarville, each with different pos- itives, negatives, focuses and vibes. The first shop is Beans-n-Cream, the “historical coffee corner of Cedarville.” Housed in a renovated bank on the corner of Main Street and West Xenia Avenue, it is a large shop that focuses on offering a comfortable community space along with a full menu of food and coffee-based drinks. While they do offer simple brewed coffee and more traditional steamed milk lattes, they are most well known among Cedarville students for their iced and fro- zen drinks, including the popular Beans- n-Cream Mocha, a mix of espresso, white chocolate and caramel. Beans (as it’s often referred to) also hosts a weekly open mic night in addition to occasional concerts. These events can be a great break from the campus norm and can be a great avenue to see local skill and talent. The second shop is Rinnova, Cedarville University’s own campus coffee spot. Locat- ed conveniently inside the lower SSC, it’s a favorite of many and is completely operated by students of Cedarville. They offer cheap brewed coffee and many different espres- so-based drinks. Above all else, Rinnova offers convenience and speed. Because of its prime location on campus, it’s possible to grab a coffee on your way to almost any event, class or function you may be going to. Stingers, Cedarville’s snack shop, is a great place to sit down and enjoy drinks from Rinnova, as they do not have many other seating options. The third coffee shop in Cedarville is Telemetry Coffee Roasters, located in the middle of downtown Cedarville. Teleme- try is well known both for the quality of the coffee it roasts in house and for its Mocha shakes, which are made with ice cream, chocolate and espresso. Telemetry offers a small menu of sandwiches and often has muffins available as well. The shop has sizable seating, though less than Beans- n-Cream and features a large red coffee roaster as the centerpiece of the shop. Te- lemetry also has a picturesque back deck where customers can sip on their coffee, watch the creek flow by and relax. While the different shops have their strengths, they also have their weaknesses as well, especially in comparison to one another. While Telemetry may have a high seating capacity, it is not the best choice for a long term stay due to its smaller tables and much less comfortable wooden chairs in comparison to Bean’s comfortable arm chairs and larger down- stairs tables. Rinnova easily offers the best convenience to the average Cedarville stu- dent, but trades that off for the peace and quiet that the other two shops can often pro- vide. Due to lack of seating, finding a place to sit at more busy times can also be frus- trating. Beans is a solid community spot, however, this can become problematic for studying or conversation during their pop- ular events, such as open mic night, as the shop can become much too busy and loud. Both Beans and Telemetry are in downtown Cedarville, a 20-minute walk at most from most places on campus, while Rinnova is right on campus. All three of the coffee shops in Cedar- ville offer many different and unique things for Cedarville University students, and every coffee-loving student should check out each to see which is their preference. No matter what one cares most about in a shop, whether it be long comfortable stays, high-quality black coffee roasted in house or grab-and-go convenience, there is a coffee shop in Cedarville for you. Callahan is a junior journalism major and the Digital and Design editor for Cedars. In his free time, he enjoys making coffee, be- ing overly critical about music and playing games with friends. I’m Here, Now When Can I Go Abroad? by Keegan D’Alfonso Y ou have carefully studied your top college picks, debated cost and dis- tance from friends and family and now you are finally at the college you ago- nized over going to. You are certain you are where God wants you to be and then you hear, “study abroad,” and you cannot wait to leave. So much effort goes into picking where to go to college that it almost seems crazy to consider spending a semester or two going to school somewhere else. Studying abroad, however, is an excellent way to broaden your cross-cultural knowledge and gain ex- periences you can’t get at Cedarville or even in the states. It is also far cheaper, and less intimidating than going to a university over- seas for your entire college career. Depending on degree programs or cho- sen electives, Cedarville offers several study abroad programs to choose from and part- ners with a number of organizations that give a range of destinations. For students who find a full semester in the fall or spring too intimidating or have a rigid schedule, summer study-abroad courses are also available. It is best for students considering a study-abroad program to start planning early as it is more difficult to fit a study- abroad program into a schedule during ju- nior or senior year unless the student’s de- gree program already includes it. While study-abroad opportunities vary by year, Cedarville has previously offered study-abroad options in Spain, Germany, Israel and Ireland among others. Cedar- ville announces upcoming study-abroad opportunities early in the semester to give interested students time to plan and fill out applications for the desired program. Stu- dents are recommended to fill out applica- tions as soon as possible to give time for approval, and allow more time for financial planning and getting a passport and visa if required. Studying abroad is not without its challenges; there will be foods you dislike, people you might struggle to get along with and customs you don’t understand. But there will also be opportunities for growth along the way and a broader un- derstanding you could never get at home, and isn’t that what college is for? Keegan D’Alfonso is a senior journalism major and the Editor-in-Chief for Cedars. He enjoys telling stories about his time in the Marines, making corny jokes, and sharing his passion for intercultural com- munication.