By Katie Beauregard
Staff Writer
College students are notorious for their lack of money—they can’t afford laundry, gas or even the occasional drink at Libby’s Bar & Grill.  Yes, tuition and textbook prices are mind-blowingly high, but could the missing cash be due to the fact that students are willing to pay upwards of $3.50 for an iced coffee?
There are four major coffee destinations in and around Durham: Dunkin’ Donuts, Aroma Joe’s, Breaking New Grounds and The Coffee Station, often referred to as the Hut.  All of them vary in price, but hover from $1.65 to $3.50.  Even though some are more expensive than others, all four of these coffee locations have one thing in common—UNH students are willing pay for them.
Daniel Masterson, a junior at UNH, is an avid Dunkin’ Donuts customer who doesn’t mind the cost ($2.00 for a small iced coffee, and $2.60 for a large).
“I schedule Dunkin’ Donuts into my day,” Masterson said.  “And I don’t go anywhere else.”
Masterson, a native of Bronx, New York, appreciates the convenience and consistency of Dunkin’ Donuts, and for that reason, sticks strictly to this large-scale chain.
“Dunkin’ is just good service and it’s just always there,” Masterson said. “You just can’t miss it, it’s so available.”
With roughly 7,500 Dunkin’ Donuts in the U.S. alone, it is no surprise that college students enjoy the cheaper coffee. And even though other coffee shops, like Aroma Joe’s are only located in the seacoast and New England area, students like Allison Foy, a senior at UNH, will pay $2.50-$3.50 for an iced coffee.
“I just like the taste of it,” Foy said.  “I get it probably three or four times a week.”
Buying three or four iced coffees a week has added up for Foy, who spends about $300 on Aroma Joe’s each school year.  Michaela Barry, a junior at UNH who frequents the Hut in Newmarket four or five times a week, has also dealt with these expenses.
“Yikes I probably spend about $600 a year on coffee,” Barry said.  “But I like to support local businesses and I think that [the Hut’s] iced coffee is the best.”
For Morgan Costa, a senior at UNH, the feel of Breaking New Grounds is the reason why she favors the coffee shop, even if she has to pay $2.38 for a small iced coffee, or $3.35 for a large iced coffee.
“I kinda like the small-town atmosphere of BNG,” Costa said.
With students spending hundreds of dollars a year on coffee, it is reasonable to ask why they don’t just make their own.  A pound of coffee from Aroma Joes, BNG and Dunkin ‘Donuts are priced around $8.00 a bag, and make about 38 eight-ounce cups of coffee.
“I do spend about $960 at Dunkin Donuts a year with large iced coffees,” Masterson said.  “That’s not good, but I work hard for my money, and I don’t have too many other expenses.”
Each Wildcat has his or her own reason for buying coffee almost every day—from the lower prices of Dunkin’ Donuts, to supporting local businesses like the Hut and Breaking New Grounds.