My coffee habit started when I was a teenager. Like most Indonesians, I used to enjoy my coffee sweet. While my mom and dad had their sweet kopi tubruk, I preferred mine with milk. Even through university life, I kept the same habit, savoring both the flavor and the caffeine effect. I think I really chased the caffeine dose back then, since it helped me cram for assignments. Like any typical engineering student, staying up late to finish projects was just part of my daily routine.

However, my coffee habit has also evolved with age. After graduated from the uni, I started enjoying coffee without sugar. Well, an espresso-based, mostly with milk. Most of my friends know I have just one go-to when it comes to espresso-based: a flat white. When I travel or have a day off, I love going coffee hopping, always ordering the classic flat white at different cafés. But after a few cups, it can feel a bit too heavy because of the milk. That’s why lately I prefer manual brews. Unlike espresso-based drinks, with manual brew I enjoy exploring single-origin beans and different brewing techniques

I realized there are so many variables that can affect my favorite flat white: the beans, espresso extraction, milk, and the coffee-to-milk ratio. At first, I thought manual brew would be simpler, since it doesn’t involve milk as a variable. But I was completely wrong. Manual brew actually comes with even more variables: the beans, grind size, water (temperature and mineral content), coffee-to-water ratio, technique, and brewing time. What makes it special is the taste is never exactly the same and that’s the charm of it. It’s what keeps me coming back.

For me, coffee is not only about the taste and the caffeine kick, my coffee journey and its evolution have taught me lessons as well

Coffee has taught me to slow down and regain my balance in this fast-paced world. I believe that a good coffee is best enjoyed slowly. It allows me to savor the moment, and reflect. In a world that constantly demands speed and instant results, there’s something grounding about embracing slowness. Working in the construction field, an industry that is demanding and always prone to change, I find that a cup of coffee has become a constant in my life. It’s always be my anchor, a quiet ritual that hold me in the midst of transitions,chaos and uncertainties.

Coffee helps me embrace stillness, creating a calm and clear space for my thoughts. A cup of coffee makes me pause and temporarily disconnect from the noisy world, allowing me to focus only on what’s in front of me. I enjoy every sip of it, the flavor and the aroma. In that stillness, my mind free to wander, and that’s usually when inspiration finds its way in. I’ve spent countless hours in coffee shops, whether working on my dissertation or trying to untangle and organize my thoughts. Even on this blog, most of the writings were born in coffee shops.

Coffee has also taught me to always respect the process, that good things take time. In each coffee house, we often find beans that have traveled from faraway regions, whether local or from abroad. The journey of coffee beans is a long one. From the farmers who nurture them, to the master roasters who carefully discover specific flavors, to the baristas who craft each cup with care. By the time it reaches us, every sip carries the story of many people’s dedication. It reminds me that every part of the process, no matter how small, plays a significant role.

In the end, coffee is more than just a drink for me. It is a reminder to slow down, to embrace stillness, and to respect the process. Every cup carries not only flavor and aroma but also lessons of patience, gratitude, and the dedication behind the journey.