Were we to go through my drinking career as a college student, I think a couple themes arc through the history of my Friday and Saturday nights at parties (and a couple Keg Mondays, to be sure). For starters: tequila and I are never, ever, ever getting back together. Like, ever. Second, I am an awesome celeb shot (at least, as far as the other team is concerned). And finally, I love cocktails. The art of mixology amazes me, from the casual college student who can throw together a powerful jungle juice, to the student who brews apple pie shots over the course of two weeks.
However, here’s where I’ve got this really unfortunate catch-22. I love cocktails, but I neither want to pay someone an exorbitant amount to make me a French 75, nor do I want to shell out for both cognac and Cointreau (and then buy mixers) for a Sidecar.
Okay, so maybe it’s less of a catch-22 than it is a lazy-and-poor-college-student-who-will-resort-to-PBR problem, but still. I hope you all can feel my pain.
Thankfully, a deus ex machina hit me earlier this quarter: we live in Evanston, which has more restaurants than my love handles can handle (for real, though, I live a block away from Cheesie’s and World of Beer and this can’t end well for me). If I can get great food to go, why not drinks? And why not cocktails?
Now, I know that not all restaurants have liquor licenses, or even the option to BYOB. But if you’re ever hankering for an Irish Coffee, but don’t have a coffee machine (and don’t want to settle for your dining hall’s Seattle’s Best, blergh), just grab a coffee drink and then add the liquor of your choosing.
As a fellow lazy student – it’s week five and I already have no motivation to go to my classes – I get that it can be hard to figure out a delicious to-go cocktail. So, here are some suggestions to get you started and sipping gin and juice out of a paper cup.
Frontera Fresco
C’mon, you know there’s nothing on campus that begs for liquor more than the aguas frescas at Frontera. Try the Classic Lime with tequila for meal equivalency margs with the girls, or if you’re feeling less lazy than usual, add some mint and rum for a DIY mojito.
In fact, mix any flavored rums – like the Bacardi Dragonfruit rum – with the Raspberry Prickly Pear agua fresca, for a refreshing and cool cocktail.
Of course, it’s the winter, so you may want something warm to drink while you’re waiting for the Frostbite Express. The Mexican Hot Chocolatewould taste wonderful with peppermint schnapps, while the Salted Almond Hot Chocolate would complement amaretto quite well.
Norbucks
Ah, Norbucks. In addition to nursing your hangover with a black coffee, you can get the hair of the dog that bit you from Lisa, Vicki and their fellow baristas.
Most obviously, you can get an Irish Coffee, by ordering a tall (or venti; I don’t know how stressful that biostatistics midterm was for you) coffee with room for cream. And Jameson. Really, Bailey’s Irish Cream can go with any of the coffee drinks, as can Kahlua, my personal favorite. And once the Coconut Crème Frappuccino comes back for the summer, try it with rum for a piña colada. And then go dance in the rain.
Then again, if the weather gets warmer again before April, try the Very Berry refresher with champagne for a sparkling drink, or a blush wine for a play on sangria.
On-campus coffee shops like the Kellogg (and secret Pancoe) Einstein’s, the library cafe, Lisa’s and Fran’s also offer possibilities for simple pick-me-ups from the coffee machine (or the slurpee machines).
Stay tuned for the next addition, where we’ll take the drinking off-campus. I know you can’t wait.