This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BC chapter.
As finals season and the end of the semester approaches, collegiettes sometimes feel the need to have an extra boost of energy from caffeine. Whether your drink of choice is coffee, soda, or energy drinks, you will surely be able to find your fix. As someone who suffers from caffeine addiction, here are my pros and cons:
Pros:
- There are so many yummy drinks to choose from, especially with seasonal varieties hitting the shelves of Starbucks and at the Chocolate Bar (Pumpkin Spice Latte, anyone?).
- When you forget you have a paper the night before it’s due, you can count on caffeine to help with your all-nighter (however, this could also mean no sleep when you do finish the paper).
- Coffee is one of the most accessible dietary sources of antioxidants for Americans.
Cons:
- Your addiction is not cheap. Let’s say your daily cup of coffee is $2.50. That is $17.50 a week, $70 a month, or $840 a year! You could save some serious money if you skip that cup (and maybe invest in something that you really want).
- Caffeine addiction is now included in the American Psychiatry Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This substance abuse is now being recognized as a medical disorder and should not be taken lightly. Many people forget that caffeine is a drug that your body does not naturally produce. Although not quite as potent, it alters both the physical and the mental state of a person, like any other drug.
- The withdrawal effects after not having coffee can be characterized by headaches, fatigue, and irritability. Trust me, if you talk to me in the morning before I have my cup of coffee you will see this firsthand.
As I said above, caffeine can help with alertness, but so can exercise and eating healthy. Instead of spending money buying fancy lattes or grabbing a Red Bull, consider going for a jog to get your mind going. Your body will appreciate the change!
Sources:
http://www.bostonmagazine.com/…