UF students, Gainesville cafes celebrate National Coffee Day

Walking through Plaza of the Americas on Thursday, some students created a map of Florida using coffee beans. Others posed for photos holding signs that read “I love you a latte.”

To celebrate National Coffee Day, the UF Social Street Team held a five-hour caffeine-themed event. Off campus, local cafes offered discounts all day.

For Brooke Schroepfer, a 20-year-old UF industrial and systems engineering junior, the holiday was a way for her to reflect on just how much coffee she drinks. She said she can’t start her day without a cup.

“It’s a good way to start your morning before a long day,” she said.

At the event on the plaza, students exchanged coffee beans for coffee-themed buttons. The beans were then glued onto a canvas to form a depiction of the state of Florida.

At Krispy Kreme, located at 306 NW 13 St., employees gave away free cups of coffee and glazed donuts.

To get ready for the rush, employees at the shop showed up to work Wednesday night, said employee Derek Asbell.

“Since we’re open 24 hours, we had to go in at 10:30 (p.m.) to get prepared,” he said.

Know Where Coffee, located at 1226 W. University Ave., offered customers 25 percent off cold-brew coffee.

“We prepare cold brew every two to three days,” said manager Juan Diaz. “Luckily, today, that landed on coffee day; we had fresh cold brew.”

Carley Carbary, a 19-year-old UF religion freshman, places a bean in UF Social Street Team’s community art project (the state of Florida made up of coffee beans) on the Plaza of the Americas on Thursday in honor of National Coffee Day. Limited-edition buttons were given to those who contributed a bean to the project.