Stressed? Anxious? Overwhelmed? You’re not alone. Join the Scented Leaf Tea House and Lounge in uncovering Tucson’s best efforts in healing the stressed out student every week.
UA students are keeping calm and enjoying handcrafted tea at Tucson’s very own Scented Leaf on University Boulevard next to the UA campus.
The tea shop offers teas on tap as well as freshly brewed pots, along with big bowls of delicious soups, pot pie just like Mom used to make and tasty little pastries, creating the perfect place to unwind.
Tea houses are known for being quaint shops inspiring their visitors to take a break and relax, but the Scented Leaf takes this to a whole new level.
Located across the street from campus, this particular tea house holds the perfect location to relieve flustered students from the test they just failed, the homework they need to cram into one day or the overwhelming pressures every college student faces daily.
Upon walking into the Scented Leaf, visitors are instantly taken in by sweet smells, friendly smiles, relaxed but working students and an endless selection of teas.
Owner Shane Barela is proud to call his tea house “the best and baddest place ever,” but what really makes the Scented Leaf an oasis in the middle of a campus that never stops is how students feel the second they sit down.
Megan Lee, a junior studying pre-retailing and consumer sciences, said she is in and out of the Scented Leaf multiple times a day enjoying their $5 for three cups deal.
To create a second home for students, the Scented Leaf provides one of the most cost-efficient deals in town. When ordering a large cup of tea for $4, the customer can come back any other time that day, pay $1 for a refill, and then come back again for a free third and final cup for the day.
Courtesy of The Scented Leaf
Lee, in addition to the rest of the packed room full of students at the Scented Leaf, said she can study with free Wi-Fi, meet to chat with friends and unwind here.
“I feel like outside it’s go, go, go, but in here I can sit and relax and go into my own zone,” Lee said.
Scented Leaf provides teas such as rooibos, honeybush and herbals, all of which promote rest and relaxation, providing a natural and healthy cure for stress.
Barela said he aims at “creating a fun and friendly environment.”
UA students aren’t the only ones appreciating Barela’s efforts. Tucson High School students are already learning the ropes of relaxation.
High school freshman Isaiah PiñaRico and his friends visit the Scented Leaf multiple times a week. He said the tea house is very popular among high school students and is known as a place to meet with friends and hangout after a long day of school.
“It’s an inspiring atmosphere,” PiñaRico said.
Tucson High School students come to the Scented Leaf and feel welcome among older peers and will commonly ask UA students about their college experiences and get advice on study techniques.
It looks like the Scented Leaf tradition is already impacting the younger generation and will continue to inspire the stressed out student to remain peaceful, progressive and relaxed for years to come.
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