Since 2007, the coffee shops with various features have been popping up like mushrooms in XMU, and now they are scattered in quite a few locations across the campus such as the library, the Qunxian Building, the Furong Tunnel, and the buildings of School of Economics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Management, School of Public Affairs, etc. The uprising of campus cafes, which blend the academic atmosphere nicely with romantic vibes, has evolved into a unique culture of coffee in XMU.

The genesis of XMU cafés

President Zhu Chongshi once said: “Coffee culture involves everyone regardless of social status, or wealth. It’s a popular culture that champions unrestraint and laissez-faire. While having coffee, you are free to talk with anyone about anything ranging from abstruse academic issues to everyday events, big or small.”

Besides, the coffee shops have also created opportunities for college students to pursue their dreams of entrepreneurship. Most of the XMU campus cafes are staffed with college students who act as managers and attendants. Due to lack of professional background and experience, they are likely to meet setbacks and challenges when running the businesses. Many of the students have started from scratch, and learning the ropes of honing a whole bunch of skills including interior design, coffee-making and logistical management, etc.

The most elegant: the Lakeside Café

As the first coffee shop in XMU, the Lakeside Cafe was founded in 2008 and has become the first entrepreneurial base for students. Just as its name suggests, it is situated beside the Furong Lake. The cafe is shaped like a semicircular long corridor. Sitting beside the window, you can have a panoramic view of the lake. There are streams of visitors in the daytime, while students choose to come here at night to shoot the breeze on varied topics.

The most academic: Sanwei Café

According to the ancients,  the Four Books and The Five Canons are to the mind what rice and noodles are to the body; likewise, history books are like gourmet dishes and the one hundred schools of thought are like sauces, and this is  also the origin of the name “Sanwei” (which literally translates as three flavors). The Sanwei cafe is the second place to none in the School of Economics for many of the top-tier economists, professors and aspiring students to communicate thoughts and ideas.

(Teatime: WISE dual-degree students meeting their professors in the spring of 2016)

The most uplifting:Ea Café

The Ea cafe is run by a coterie of five students from the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Ea, short for “activation energy”, aims to inject positive vibes into every guest to live their lives to the fullest. Professors and students of the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering can directly swipe the ID cards to enter Ea, but other guests have to ring the doorbell to wait for the attendants to open the door. This is a cafe that exudes warmth, inspiration and vitality.