Surviving finals is never easy, but the right drink could make it more manageable

By Tamanna Gera

‘Tis the season of finals. As our alarms merrily ring each morning to remind us of our dreaded exam days ahead, it’s also the season to buy more little sweet treats to satisfy the motivation to keep going as the time to begin opening up our books to study for final exams is coming. Whether your go-to drink is a trendy white chocolate matcha or a classic double-double from Tim Hortons, each drink speaks to your person.

Here is what your go-to drink during the season of finals says about you:

Matcha Latte from MATCHA MATCHA

Academic Situation: Finals season just means time to be aesthetic — academically, you are definitely not doing aesthetically okay

Rating: 2/5

If you’re opting for this controversial drink said to taste like “grass,” then you are a study romanticizer. You probably go to those typical, trendy matcha places like Matcha Matcha, take your sweet time taking a photo to show to your Instagram followers, then proceed to open your aesthetically designed Notion to study the well-written, organized notes that took you forever to make; but look amazing. Not to mention, you probably have your study space all geared up with snacks, gum and chargers. Finals for you mean time to be a Pinterest board. 

Red Bull from the nearest Metro next to RCC graciously giving students 10 per cent off each purchase.

Academic Situation: You are a ticking time bomb waiting to explode after the finals, that you will probably ace, end

Rating: 823749324/5

If you’re chugging those Red Bulls like there’s no tomorrow trying to pull a Kay Chung, you’ve either overloaded yourself with seven courses trying to cram everything for all seven exams,  or you’ve left everything till the last minute and are now cramming your brain to retain a semester’s worth of content in under a week. Your day probably consists of revising and writing down your notes on whatever you can get your hands on; loose papers, notebooks, sticky notes, textbooks, cue cards, your hand. As you’re pulling frequent all-nighters, multiple Red Bulls a day just keep you going. Hey! If it works, it works.

Iced coffee from Balzac’s 

Academic Situation: Not bad, it’s divided half-and-half — you need a 50 per cent to pass all your finals and courses

Rating: 3/5

You don’t just represent the “chill guy” meme trend, you are “just a chill guy.” You’re neither ahead nor behind with having to study for finals. Your day is a good balance of a few hours of studying and then moving along with whatever else you have left to do without any panic. You have decent grades, not the top but not bad either. You’re just living life, enjoying your iced coffee from whatever coffee shop you can get it from (probably Tim Hortons, we love some classic Canadian coffee). Iced coffee has its ups and downs. Sometimes it’s made well, sometimes you’re drinking watered-down black coffee with way too much ice, which also determines how well you choose to study.

Vanilla oat iced latte from Dineen Coffee

Academic Situation: You’re gaslighting yourself into thinking it’s not bad but it’s bad — you need 80s, you’re looking at 50s

Rating: 1.5/5

This typical drink means you have better things to do than devote all your time to the final seasons. You are fine with getting whatever minimum grade you need to pass your finals, we’re looking at 50 per cent. Your studying consists of looking at your class slideshows and existing notes past classmates have posted on Course Hero because really, you value time so why re-write what already exists? Despite not caring, you still — somehow — manage to do well. Maybe it’s a lack of pressure making it easier to do your exams, which paves the way to success for you.

Iced capps, frappes and all the icy sugary goodness: From any place that has special names for coffee drinks  (you won’t find these basics made as good from anywhere else)

Academic Situation: It’s looking alright, you’re passing with 70s and are looking pretty good for finals 

Rating: 2.83723/5

You tend to try and use study methods to help you stay focused (Pomodoro technique, active recall, etc.) because you get easily distracted. You hate studying for finals but you also don’t want to do badly so you need these sugary coffee concoctions for the ultimate energy boosters to get you motivated and ready to start studying for finals. No matter how long it takes you to finally lock in, you clutch up and end up doing pretty decent for finals. Not bad for a demotivated atmosphere!

Water from the nearest water fountains 

Academic Situation: Passing every course with a 4.0 GPA, you’re trying to get a 4.33 during finals 

Rating: 5/5

You are an absolute academic demon. You are locked in and are not backing down until you get 100 per cent — making sure to stay in top fit health. You are not wasting your money on any overpriced caffeine because sheer, unfiltered “will to succeed” gets you through finals. You study like no tomorrow. You are who people look up to for getting it through without whining about the lack of caffeine in your system. A big salute to you for getting through the most draining season.

Cappuccino from Nabulu Coffee

Academic Situation: B+ star average student, you’re not special, you’re just like everyone else out there

Rating: 2.5/5

Cappuccinos are basic B+ average, just like you! That is how you have been doing this entire year; average, nothing special, but nothing to worry about. Finals season is just another “test season” for you, nothing too special, just another day to get another B+ because being at the top is not in your interest but it’s not like you’re not trying to fail either. While you sip your overpriced cappuccino — for the mere sake of the vibes, not taste — your studying is 40 per cent real studying and 60 per cent other tasks like online shopping and YouTube videos. 

Tea (in every flavour you can think of) from the Dollarama at The Tenor

Academic Situation: BAD, you need a 90 per cent to pass your courses, you’re trying to stay calm with tea but you know you’re done for

Rating: -1.5/5

If you’re drinking tea during final seasons, it’s only in hopes of trying to stay calm — keyword: “trying.” You’ve been slacking this entire year, and now, when it comes to finals, you need high grades to pass all your courses; courses you don’t care about or bothered to contribute a discussion post for since the semester started. Summer school is slowly calling your name from a distance and you? You’re slowly and calmly accepting your fate. Maybe it’s time to change your program to something you actually want to study. 

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No matter what you drink, we all have different likes and dislikes of what we need to help us get through the season of finals. As another school year comes to an end, it’s the final push to the finish line. Good luck with your finals and happy sipping!