By Rory White, STAFF WRITER 

National Coffee Day was Sunday, Sept. 25 and there have been major updates in the world of caffeinated beverages in Sanford and on campus. Between the new Starbucks nearing opening and the caffeine available to us at school, there’s a lot going on to fuel us throughout the day!

The Aroma Joe’s in the mid-town mall has officially closed and vacated the property, focusing solely on it’s new location on Main St. It sat inside the Trust Building which has been reportedly condemned due safety code violations.

When one store closes, another opens: next to Pizza Hut in the Shaw’s Plaza, Starbucks is almost ready to open! The specific opening date is unknown but they are currently hiring for $17 to $19.30 per hour. According to the website, the last day to apply is December 13. 

While there’s many different areas to get caffeine in Sanford, the high school has begun selling Caffeinated Ice in vending machines, which has been a hit among students, based on a survey sent out by The Spartan Times. Additionally, the cafeteria will be selling is Java Cold Brew Coffee in the lunch room during breakfast.

One anonymous Sanford High student said, “I feel having caffeine will help students be more productive through the day because they get that burst of energy.”

While some may find having caffeine in schools controversial, many students approve of the accessibility. A small percentage of students agreed that having caffeine on campus could prevent tardies caused by waiting in long drive-thru lines.

Based on the survey, students did feel it was unfair that the teachers’ lounge gets a vending machine full of the good caffeinated beverages and the students didn’t, so many are happy for this change.

The real question is, does caffeine help or hurt our students?