Nice Tea Meet You!

By Aaron Young

When I tell people I am the president of the Tea Appreciation Society, there are a couple of reactions I get, but by far the most common is “So what d’ye actually do? Do you all just sit around drinking tea?” The answer, of course, is mainly yes; we exist to create a fun, relaxed, group where people can kick back half way through the week, and enjoy a variety of teas from across the globe. To me, the most important aspect of clubs and societies, the thing that will stick with you down through the years after graduation, is the friends that you make. And the way I see it, what better way to do that than over a nice hot cup of tea with a few biscuits or a scone?

We aren’t just limited to our Wednesday meetings at seven in the Millstream Common Room though; we aim to have at least one themed event during every week of the semester. A few weeks ago we held our international tea night, drawing a crowd of almost sixty people for two hours to learn and experience first hand what a cuppa tae means in half a dozen different tea drinking countries, from the spiced teas of India, to Chinese Oolong, to a hot mug of Barry’s or Lyons representing Ireland.

We also take our members up and down the country on our tireless hunt for the perfect brew, off the back of a trip to scenic Galway so successful we had to go twice, our fantastic events officer Sarah is already working on a trip to Ennis to visit their much touted tea room, with hints of a visit to the nation’s capital brewing for next semester.

If you want to learn first hand what our society is like why not come along to one of our SoUL Fest events. Drink tea with a variety of historical characters in Plassey house on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings at Tea with Titans, organised in conjunction with the Arts Office and the History Society. Or perhaps you would like to come to one of our two exhibition days in the Teach Fáilte, on Wednesday and Thursday (the second one in conjunction with the Cumann Gaelach). We have even organised a Japanese tea ceremony in the Contemplative Centre, presented for your consideration.

So check out our Facebook page, whether you are a Lyons or Barry’s drinker, a pursuer of the far off and exotic or happy to stick to what you know, even if you don’t drink caffeine, we can find something to suit your tastes, and help you make a few lifelong friends while doing it.