This was a live edited interview between Carter L. Myers and McKenna Schillinger, conducted on March 26th, 2026.

McKenna Schillinger is in pursuit of an English Major and a Social Media minor. She enjoys reading, writing, and going to the movie theater when she has time!

M&L: What is your coffee order?

MS: It kinda depends on where I go, if they have seasonal menu, and what specials they have. I kinda change my order depending on the place. I am not very consistent.

M&L: What is your favorite coffee shop? 

MS: I am a big fan of East Moline Coffee Company. They have a lot of drink options. They have a really nice atmosphere and it is close to home and even closer to my high school, so we would go there all the time before school! Another one of my favorites is Coffee House in the Village of East Davenport. I really like how it is set up and I enjoy the atmosphere… I enjoy that one a lot!

M&L: Who do you share coffee with? 

MS: Usually [I share coffee with] my Dad. Every summer or fall, whenever we have time off, we do a little week-long tour of Quad City coffee shops where we’ll go to a different one each day and try a new drink; I just like going to get coffee with him, in general. [I share coffee with] my grandma every Friday morning before she goes to work. I like to [get coffee] with my brother a lot, too… just as a way for us to catch up and hang out. Coffee is a love language for me because I share it with a bunch of people. Specifically right now, […] I grab a caffeinated beverage with my best friend before every single musical rehearsal.

M&L: How is coffee part of your reading and writing life? 

MS: Oh! I love this question! I think that any reading or writing experience is improved by the mere act of getting a cup of coffee or some kind of fun drink to pair with it [literature]. [Coffee] just relaxes me, and it just enables me to focus-in on what I am doing. When I am sat in with my computer and my coffee, I am set-to-go. Or when I am reading… it is a big part of that!

M&L: Describe your first sip of the day.
MS: Hmm. My first sip of the day is usually right on my way to work, right after I get my coffee from the drive-thru window [at Kick Serve Coffee in Moline or Dunkin’]; I take my first sip before I set it down in my cupholder and I’m like, “Okay… we can function now.” The first sip is usually an… “Okay, we can make it through the day!”