Congrats, you are almost to the end of this semester! Unfortunately, finals week can keep you stressed. One tactic is to cram as much caffeine into your body as possible, and espresso is always a good way to get it in.

I've been a barista at Starbucks for over two years and one thing I definitely have gotten better at is exercising creativity. I always try to make my lattes funky with concoctions of syrups no one has ever tried to combine before.

I know I need an abundant amount of espresso and caffeine for the next few weeks, so here are some suggestions to amp your drinks to make them even more caffeinated. 

1. Coffee Drip With a Twist

ice, tea, water, beer, coffee, alcohol, wine
Amy Cho

A coffee drip is just your average cup-of-joe that is poured from a machine. Iced or hot coffee drip, you can add shots of espresso to it. One shot added to coffee is called a "Red Eye" and two shots added to the coffee is called a "Black Eye."

2. Ristretto Caramel Macchiato

butter, peanut butter, caramel, peanut
Morgan Nielsen

The caramel macchiato is a classic espresso drink that many people get. But to treat yourself before finals, use ristretto shots instead of regular shots. Ristretto is a smaller, more concentrated serving of espresso. Rich in sweetness and flavor, it has more body than a regular shot of espresso. Enjoy!

3. Affogato-Style Frappuccino 

coffee, cream, espresso, milk, chocolate, sweet, ice, caramel, cappuccino
Sabhyata Badhwar

We all love Starbucks' frappuccinos, whether it's the Java Chip Frappuccino, the Coffee Frappuccino, or the Caramel one. Something to make it even more special is to add an affogato shot, which is a shot of espresso poured on top of the whipped cream instead of blended in. Mmm, I can already taste it.

You shouldn't just try these out before or during finals. You should definitely treat yourself after finals too! Coffee-lovers know that you can never put too much caffeine in something, so buzz buzz buzz away.