Coffee is described by people on the street as a beverage that is typically consumed with breakfast. For many people, it's a low-calorie shot of go-go to get the day started the right way. You dump in some cream, and the stuff somehow miraculously becomes tolerable. But for the college fanatic, coffee is oh so useful for oh so many things. It's not a drink to us; it's a lifestyle. Here are just a few of the ways we use our power beverage and most valuable ally.

1. Looking Cool

I can't tell you how many times I have sat around in a fast food restaurant reading BBC News and sipping black coffee. It may actually make me look stupid, but I feel really mature when I do it. I look like this 20-year-old who actually has her life together, but in reality, I can still act just as stupid as the next college student.

2. Late Nights

I don't think I ever actually realized before college that caffeine works the same way at night as it does in the morning. If I know I am going to be awake later than midnight, I automatically have to have a cup of coffee to help me make it that late. There have been many nights of reading long Supreme Court cases and writing lab reports in which coffee has been the only friend who would volunteer to stay up with me.

3. Automatic Excedrin

It's beyond me why anyone would pay for Excedrin when coffee seems to work the same way. Coffee almost always makes the headaches I get from a pressure buildup to go away. Since I live in an area where storm fronts bringing rain come through pretty frequently, especially in the spring and summer, this is super important.

4. Road Trip Buddy

If I am driving more than one town away, there is pretty much always a coffee stop involved. Our farm supported gas station has various brews from all across the map, and they're a pretty good value because you can add syrups or whatever you want for no extra cost. They also have cappuccinos for the same cost for your friends who just can't handle that beautifully-bitter taste of coffee.

5. The Edge

What can I say? I like the look people give me when they see this sweet young woman taking her coffee black. It's silly, I know, but I just don't look like the type of person who would drink black coffee. When you're a typical old soul, drinking black coffee is pretty much as edgy as it gets. I tell myself, "Today I will be that woman who drinks her coffee black and takes crap from no one."

6. The Upper

Coffee is acidic on the pH scale, so it can give some people an upset stomach. Drinking too much often has adverse effects such as shakiness and irritability. Generally speaking, it lifts my mood. I'm the kind of person who enjoys being at a constant high point, and coffee helps to keep me there. I'm a more pleasant person to be around after I have finished a cup, and it keeps my moodiness in check.

For true coffee drinkers, coffee is not just a breakfast beverage. It's a way of life.