The smell of freshly brewed coffee fills the room. You watch as your peppermint mocha is poured into a cup, filled to the brim with sugary goodness to start your day. Packed with ice, the cup is cold to the touch, the color of chestnuts, and you can’t wait any longer to take your first sip. The coffee tastes of candy canes and sugar cookies. With a smile, a student hands you a powdered donut that looks like snow on Christmas morning. Paired with the coffee, it’s like Christmas Eve, excitement makes you feel like you can get through today, this week, this month, and winter break is just around the corner. 

The coffee shop in the library, open every Thursday and Friday from 8:00 to 8:30 in the morning, has made the end of the week even more anticipated for many NHS students. At only $3 per cup, the coffee mill has a variety of delicious flavor options. It helps students feel energized for the final stretch of their week, and for club participants like Emerson Phillips in the German club, it gives them the opportunity to raise money for their clubs.

“We made gummy bears from scratch for the German company Haribo’s 100 year anniversary. [The money] will help us additionally if we need it in the future for various things,” Phillips said

Not only does working the Coffee Mill help clubs raise money, but it also provides an opportunity for students to get job-like experience. 

“They get an opportunity to see how a business is run and interact with students as customers. We teach the students how to serve coffee and snacks safely and efficiently,” Lucy Misetic, NHS librarian said. 

Serving is also an efficient way for student clubs to make money because there is little need for preparation or extra expenses on their part. In addition to coffee, club sponsors and participants can bring in baked goods to spark the interest of students who might not like coffee, or would like a sugary treat to go with it. 

“The iced coffee is prepared by the library staff, so the groups only need to prepare snacks they want to sell. When the groups arrive at 7:45 AM on Thursday, we go over the different roles and train the students,” Misetic said. 

With lines spiraling out of the library, working the Coffee Mill can seem like a daunting task for many clubs that may be considering working there. But not to fear, the hard work is shared between everyone in the club and together, lots of money can be raised.

“I specifically took orders and money but we had people who needed to make the drinks, grab the extra cakes that we were selling in addition to coffee, and others who were advertising to draw in more people,” Phillips said. 

In addition, the amount of money made each time clubs work the shop varies depending on the amount of extra effort they put in. 

“We say groups can make [around] $150 just on coffee. Selling additional snacks can add another $100 depending on cost,” Misetic said.

The Coffee Mill creates a positive environment for both customers and students working.

“I love interacting with people who [are] excited to be served by us. I loved the positive interactions with everyone,” Phillips said.