According to the National Sleep Foundation, drinking a cup of coffee can enable you to feel the alertness benefits as early as 15 minutes after taking the drink. This shows you how potent the caffeine in the coffee is. Thus, if you are a student like me, you know that at one point in your college studies, you will need an extra oomph to keep you awake. That is where the GOC – good ol’ coffee comes in. It works!

However, coffee is only as good as the coffee machine that you use to brew it. Coming from a family of coffee lovers, I know this only too well. If you buy a lousy coffee maker, you should be ready to drink lousy coffee. If you ask me, I would say that this is the one investment where you should not skimp on the quality. Buy the best and you can have it for the longest time possible.

Even the best things have an end. After my ancient coffee maker gave up the ghost on me, I knew it was time to head out to look for a new one. I need a new coffeemaker because mine gave up the ghost on me last week, after serving me for a good number of years.

Looking for the best coffee maker around? Go to coffeelovers.reviews.

And then it hit me just how hard it can be to buy a good kitchen appliance. There are so many choices today it is simply daunting. You just do not know what to pick for your needs. With every brand name in the market claiming to be the best, it can be quite hard for you to choose the best.

However, not to worry, because with some due diligence on my part, I have tested a few coffeemakers and the two I have reviewed here are my first choices.

Hamilton Beach 49980A Single-Serve Brewer & Full Pot Coffee Maker B00EI7DPPI

My search for the best coffee maker stopped with this one. I have used this and the incredible features that it comes with win me over again and again. It can make me copious amounts of coffee when I have friends coming over or I can just use it to make one mug only when I do not want to pump too much caffeine into my body. One side allows you to brew a carafe while another one allows you to brew a whole pot of coffee.

Among some of the awesome features on this coffeemaker is that it has a selector where you can set the coffee strength. If you like it bold, or light, there are settings for that. To save energy, the machine shuts off after two hours so that it does not waste too much energy keeping your coffee hot.

Pros

Allows you to use prepackaged pods of coffee to save yourself time from measuring and stuff

Can brew 12 cups of coffee for family and friends or just one cup for you

Can also make tea – just insert a teabag in the filter on the one cup side

Makes bold and regular coffee

Easy to use

Cons

Cannot use the two sides simultaneously

A bit pricey

Keurig K55 K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker Single Serve – Programmable B01BOU6DLE

Keurig is a very well known name when it comes to coffee makers and in the K55 Single Serve, it does not disappoint at all. I love it for many reasons, one of them being that I can use it to brew my perfect cup of coffee for my different tastes. When I need decaf, regular or bold coffee, I can get it from this machine.

I love that I can fill the reservoir with six cups of water when I have a long night. I can then start brewing one cup after another before I refill the reservoir again.

Pros

Has an automatic off feature that turns off the coffeemaker after 2 hours

Just one cup instead of a pot that will go to waste anyway

You can close the brewer handle to dispense hot water only

Has a tray that catches drip, which you can remove easily and clean

Large reservoir

Searching for the best french press on the market? Drop by at Coffee Lovers Reviews.

Cons

Makes noise when in use

Some people have reported theirs as having died in less than a year of use

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Here are a few tips that I use to stay safe on campus

I am always alert, always aware of what is going on around me

That is true, I always know what is going on around me. I have not lost myself to the electronic jungle where I hardly know who my neighbor is. I make a point of walking around to find out all the features, the names of the streets on campus and most importantly, to know what should be happening, when and where.

I knew my way around fast

Immediately after joining campus, I started by knowing my way around. That way, I knew that even if night caught me outside, I would know where to go and the different routes to follow to get there. Most vandals and thugs will never commit any atrocity on you if you look like a person who is sure of where they are and where they are going.  

I always keep my doors locked

I have never made the mistake of being too relaxed thinking that I am a member of a big community and that nothing can happen to me here. I always keep my doors locked when I am relaxing, drinking a hot cup of coffee. When someone knocks, I always ask who it is and if I know them, I open.

I never attend a party alone

I always invite a friend to attend a party with me. When I am invited, the first question I usually ask is whether I can bring a friend. In the party, I will make sure I know my friend’s whereabouts and I also know that she has my back. We agree on when we will leave the party and we never exceed that time. Ok, I know it is hard to be perfectly stringent, but I also know that a slip of caution and dangerous things could happen.

I try to have some company when I am outdoors at night

There is strength in numbers. This is something that I never take lightly. Considering the vast grounds of the campus and the busy schedule of a student, I always find the need to go get something at night. In that case, I ask a friend to go with me, or I alert them I am going out and that I should be back soon.

I know about emergencies centers in my campus

I know where the security guards are stationed and most importantly, I know where I can for help and most importantly, I have a few emergency numbers on my mobile phone. I like to think about what can possibly go wrong. I don’t care whether people call me a pessimist. Remember Murphy’s Law – Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

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Here are a few tips that help me to study effectively

Studying a little every day

I hate it when things pile up on me. I especially hate it when my bookwork piles up on me and so I always make an effort to stay on top of my studies. Thus, I study every day of the week, just a little. Because I study without being under any duress, I am able to get more things on my mind. I am able to avoid the last minute rush and therefore when it is exam time, I am always relaxed and I am able to concentrate more on the questions.

Study in the right place for you

Over time, you will be able to identify your study needs. For example, you may only be able to study in a quiet place like the library. Perhaps you do not like to study amidst many people where any small movement can distract you. If you think your room is the best place for you to study, just use that.

Stay healthy physically

If you are not in sound health, most likely you cannot be able to study keenly. Exercise a lot, eat the right food whenever you can and most importantly, sleep a lot because it will help your body to regenerate, and your mind will be alert. I have found that sleep enhances my memory, something that you need dearly when you are a college student.

I use a unique style to study

College class work is quite a lot. Therefore, cramming everything into your mind might not work. You need to devise a way to study fast. For me, I use a way where I shorten everything that I learn, write small texts on the margins of my book and so when it is about exam time, I just refer to these notes on my margins. It helps me a lot.

Ask questions in class

When you make a habit of asking questions in class, you tend to remember these things more. Certainly, it can be a nerve-wracking experience asking questions for the first time, but I eventually got used to it and eventually, it became a norm for me. Today, whatever I do not understand, I never hesitate to ask.

I prepare for tests thoroughly

In college, passing tests is very important. Thus, whenever I am studying every day, I have many goals in my mind, but the chief one is to pass my tests. Therefore, I always ask myself whether what I am studying will help me answer questions correctly. I concentrate on things like reading, taking notes, remembering and concentration.

My life in college is not all about books

That is right; my life is not all about books. I do take some time off to think about life beyond books. Therefore, I have learned some tips for stress management, time management, relaxation techniques and meditation. These things make my life as a student better.

There are more study tips that I use, but these are the chief ones.

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