Go Java is a coffee shop that is the size of your dorm room. However, at this coffee shop, you will not feel the need to clean, fold the laundry, talk to your friends down the hall, hang out in the lounge, or rearrange your room.

This small coffee shop provided me and Tessa a friendly, clean, relaxing, off-campus experience and the completion of some homework, unlike our dorm rooms.

Tessa and I headed to downtown Grand Rapids to one of my favorite streets: Ionia, a nice brick road which takes you right through the city.

This street provides many authentic restaurants, and Tessa and I decided to check out Go Java, a coffee shop.

When we entered the building that holds Go Java, we were surprisingly confused.

It was about 7 p.m. on a Wednesday night, and every other coffee shop downtown was closed.

Go Java stays open until 9 p.m. on the weekdays.

This coffee shop had the typical high ceilings, wooded floors, soft classical music playing in the background, the refreshing smell of freshly made coffee, assorted seating, free WiFi, and the list goes on.

However this coffee shop was about the size of a Pickett dorm room – bigger than the rooms in Cook and VO, but not by much.

When we walked, in we were surprised that they were still open because the place was bare.

There were only 17 seats in this small coffee shop, and every seat was available to us.

Four seats overlooked the street which gave us different scenery.

Two employees with the typical apron and hats stamped with the Go Java logo greeted us almost immediately.

They asked us what they could get for us and waited patiently as we browsed the small menu.

A lot of things that Go Java offers its customers are not on their menu.

They are in the cooler and glass shelves below the counter.

Go Java offers Jones Sodas, orange Juice, apple juice, Arizona drinks, kettle corn, sun chips, yogurt, salads, muffins, cookies and Coca-Cola (YUM!), which are not on the menu.

So basically it is a mini gas station … or not.

However, on the menu you will read that they also offer lattes and cappuccino, hot chocolate, iced tea drinks, iced chai tea, smoothies and mochaccinos.

They even had parfaits like one you would find at McDonald’s.

Go Java makes the promise that they have the “real” cappuccino, unlike the fake ones you find at any Starbucks or Biggby’s.

Right? Maybe. I am not a fan of foamy milk and neither is Tessa, so all true cappuccino lovers will have to find out if this cappuccino promise is valid.

Go Java is right next to Hopcat, a Grand Rapids authentic restaurant and bar, which happened to be very busy on Wednesday nights. Go Java has a Web site (www.gojavacoffee.com) which provides directions, their menu and a description of the experience you will have.

The employees at this small coffee shop chatted with us about the different drink options, their hours and the customers that come in.

They even swept, mopped and wiped down the counters and bathroom when we were there.

We noticed that it was very clean when we walked in, and we also found a free map of Grand Rapids.

Tessa and I were tempted to put down our homework when we saw the board game Sorry, and they have the perfect high round tables for playing.

We did our homework and headed back to Cornerstone, to finish off a fairly productive night.

So Get Out! and have a productive night at this dorm-sized coffee shop, perfect for studying.

LOCATION: 15 IONIA SW, Grand Rapids

TIME: Mon-Fri: 6 am to 9 pm, Sat: 8 am to 10 pm

WEB: www.gojava.com

GET OUT FACTOR (out of 5 !): !!!!

Katlin’s top three

3.  Non-coffee choices

2.  Friendly employees

1.  Private atmosphere