It’s that time of year again… winter break. Well almost. First you have to get through finals week. In preparation for all of those missed meals, late nights, midday naps, and long hours of both cramming and procrastinating, here are a few teas each geared toward helping you make it through.
Tea is a versatile beverage – its more than just an alternative to coffee – and all avid tea lovers will defend the benefits of tea above all else. Tea can help with everything from staying awake to falling asleep. So here is a guide to surviving finals with tea:
Photo by Emily Moschowitz
English Breakfast Tea: English breakfast tea is a black tea without any added herbs or ingredients. This is a tea for almost anyone because it allows the drinker to change the tea to his or her taste: add a splash of milk, a few slices of lemon, or simply drink it plain. English breakfast tea is for those early mornings and late nights when you need to be awake. Like all black teas, this one has the caffeine content to keep you energized and focused for finals. For the perfect cup of tea, steep a tea bag in 210°F water for 2-3 minutes.
Chamomile Tea: While you may think that you shouldn’t drink tea in the evenings because of the caffeine, a cup of chamomile tea can help you fall asleep and calm your nerves after a stressful day of studying and finals. Chamomile is an herbal tea that comes from a daisy-like herb that has always been known for its health benefits. For the perfect cup of chamomile tea, steep a tea bag in 210°F water for 3-6 minutes.
Green Tea: Some people claim that green tea is one of the healthiest things that you can drink. Green tea has a plethora of health benefits like reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease, but this tea is great for finals week because some claim that it makes you smarter. The caffeine in green tea stimulates brain function and helps your brain work better. Great for all those tests coming up, right? For the perfect cup of green tea steep a tea bag in 167-176°F water for 1-2 minutes.
Photo by Emily Moschowitz
Beyond the specific benefits of each individual type of tea, most teas are good for warding off illness. Tea is also ideal for this time of year because it helps keep you warm as the weather reaches lower temperatures, so grab yourself a cup of tea and may your finals week go fast, and your winter break be long.
Need more tea? Right this way: