In my personal opinion, tea is the best warm caffeinated drink out there. Coffee is great and all, but between these two commonly-compared drinks, I have, and always will, choose tea.

I'm not a coffee drinker, but I'll admit: Coffee has its merits. It's got that delicious scent, and that caffeine? Priceless. Especially when you're on your third day of your 8 AM class in a row, and you've gotten a grand total of 12 hours of sleep between the past 4 nights combined, and you can practically hear the brightness of your classroom's fluorescent lights pressing on your already-painful stress headache. I've been there. I get it.

Coffee is good for those moments. Put in some milk, sweetener, and some chocolate, or varying combos of the three, and you've got a recipe for a powerful, delicious pick-me-up. There's different kinds of coffee, roasts, and even beverages prepared with coffee, each for different tastes and times. So, I totally understand when people say they like coffee.

But, the thing is, tea can do that too.

I'll confess: All those things I just described are how I imagine coffee drinkers to feel. You see, I don't drink coffee as often. Why? I'm incredibly sensitive to caffeine, to the point where I get violently ill if I have too much, and practically jitter into the next dimension. It's not fun for anyone, me included. So, I instead sate my minor caffeine addiction with tea.

Teas have caffeine too, but there are many kinds that don't have caffeine as well. Not that there isn't decaf coffee, but with tea, there's more options; at least, what I've found to be more options. I'm no coffee expert.

There's a tea for every mood. Want to relax? Have some decaf tea, red tea (naturally decaffeinated), or some chamomile tea. Need that morning pick-me-up without the jitters? Some strong black iced tea or a spiced chai can do wonders first thing in the morning, or maybe some maté (which has the same caffeine content as coffee!).

Work and class bearing down on you? Have an Arnold Palmer--half lemonade, half iced tea. Want to treat yourself? Have a matcha (strong powdered green tea) latte. Want a relaxing drink on a summer afternoon? Barley tea is where it's at.

Even unsweetened, tea's bitterness isn't overpowering. Some teas are naturally sweet. Some, like lapsang souchong, taste how a campfire feels (in a good way).

So, in short, coffee drinkers, don't discount tea. Maybe one day, you'll feel the joy that only comes with the gentle taste of a warm mug of your favorite tea, in the cozy comfort of a tea party with friends. Believe me. It's the best.