Scroll through to see more photos from this year.
After a year of writing, reviewing, and of course, coffee drinking, I knew I wanted to write a "year in review" UT Caffeine Queen post, but I didn't really know where to start. So I reviewed the "About" page to jog my memory of why I started this site in the first place.
I realized three things while reading it.
1. I REALLY miss the Garfield Latte at Street Coffee in Phoenix.
2. I'm writing this very post in the same coffee shop where I wrote that first post.
3. There's still no "home away from home" quite like a coffee shop.
I really got UT Caffeine Queen started in April. After years of trying new coffee shops, sizing up their iced vanilla lattes, and assessing a shop's overall vibes, I had an idea. Wouldn't it be fun to have a place for documenting these thoughts and for sharing them with others?
To be honest, UT Caffeine Queen turned out a little differently this year than I had expected, in more ways than one. The first surprise is the type of content I did. I had started the site to review new coffee shops, like a food critic penning a review of a restaurant. But I often ended up reviewing individual drinks from big chains, like seasonal menu additions from Starbucks and Dunkin. Of my last 10 posts, 4 of them are about Starbucks and Dunkin. As much as I like to check out these seasonal drinks once they make their debut and figuring out if they're worth the hype, in 2020 I'd like to get back to my original focus of reviewing local shops. If there's anything I learned this year, it's that you can never go wrong with Starbucks. My devotion to the green mermaid is stronger than ever, but next year I want to broaden my horizons and check out more local coffee shops.
Another surprise - a very pleasant one - was how much support this blog got. I try not to pay attention to clicks or hits, as I want to keep this blog something that I enjoy writing and developing for myself. But so many people in my life have been so supportive of this blog, from my first review last spring to my most recent one. If you're reading this, thank you for supporting both my passion for writing and my addiction to coffee. There's an absolutely crazy amount of content online, and the fact that you're choosing to read my words means a lot.
As much as I want to strive to keep thorough, quality reviews the focus of this blog, something I loved doing this year was creating fun posts, like quizzes and coffee horoscopes. I personally love engaging content like this (I take Buzzfeed quizzes like it's my job, a habit I blame on celeb magazines whose quizzes occupied me for hours as a tween), and I want to create more of this on UT Caffeine Queen, maybe even add a tab on the blog just for activities.
Another type of content I enjoyed was guest posts, like this one from my sister on what coffee shop culture means to her. (Check out her blog here!) It's nice to have a fresh voice in the mix, and on a personal level, I adore hearing about other people's favorite coffee shops and drinks. If you ever want to write a guest post for UT Caffeine Queen, reach out to me anytime, whether you want to write about your favorite shop, drink, or your relationship with coffee shops in general. I always love to hear from other caffeine queens (and kings)!
Thank you again for reading. Follow me on Instagram for coffee photos and blog updates in 2020!
Lots of love and lattes,
Libby
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