Even just a couple months or so, it seemed what most teenagers cared about was “spilling the tea”, a metaphor for sharing gossip and rumors about other people around school. But now, it appears a new hot beverage is preferred, as the Enloe social media community is coming together at this time, instead of starting meaningless drama. And it all started with one new Instagram account, @enloecoffee. 

Instagram is definitely not a new thing to Enloe, as there are now numerous accounts dedicated to all things Enloe, from the water fountains, to a person’s amazing outfit, to the cockroaches seen in the halls. But this new account, which started only April of this year, is dedicated to complimenting classmates. The account shares completely anonymous messages from a Tellonym link in their bio to all of their over 350 followers, and the administrators of the account choose to defer from their “tea” counterparts, and only spread positivity. And for those who find their screen time doubling since this quarantine began, @enloecoffee makes sure to fill your Instagram feed, posting multiple times each day.

But what started as an account dedicated to compliments has evolved into more than just compliments. After just a couple of weeks, @enloecoffee soon became a source for people to ask for advice on how to handle certain conflicts, or even for recommendations in quarantine, ranging from books to arts and crafts. The account has also sparked a less-caffeinated account, @enloedecaf, dedicated to helping Enloe students find and meet new people, proving that even while following social distancing protocols, new people are only a screen away. And while the account is dedicated to Enloe students, other Wake county high schools have started their own “coffee” accounts, including Athens Drive (@athensdrivecoffee) and Garner (@garnercoffee). 

During this time of uncertainty, and where it seems like the news is solely dedicated to sharing the bad things that are going on in the world, @enloecoffee shows that there’s always more to something than meets the eye, and that in every cup of coffee, there’s some sugar in the bottom of the mug. So ditch the tea bag, and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee instead.