As a preface, I really like caffeine. Objectively, I’m probably somewhat addicted. My personalized gold Starbucks card sits proudly in the clear pocket of my wallet. I drink soda on a daily basis. I’ve even recently grown obsessed with Awake bars, owl-shaped chocolates with the caffeine equivalent of either one or one-half of a cup of joe (depending on the size of the bar), conveniently sold at City Convenience.
Credit: The Die Line
The problem is tolerance.
While a week of no caffeine definitely doesn’t sound like it’ll do anything, it felt like a year to me. No exaggeration intended.
I decided to do this when one day last week, as I rolled out of bed at 9:30 a.m. and frantically got dressed for my 10:10 a.m. Intro to Fiction class, I felt absolutely fatigued. I had gotten a solid 8 hours of sleep the night before, but for whatever reason I couldn’t stop myself from reaching for a Red Bull from the mini fridge on my way out. I chugged half of it on my walk to the School of Theology and then sipped on the rest during class. During a lull in the discussion, the girl sitting next to me turned and pointed to my drink; “Does that work for you?”
I had to think. I have such a high tolerance for caffeine that I don’t think anything works on me. That Red Bull, as much as it’s advertised at BU, wasn’t doing anything for me that morning.
Credit: Richmond Marketing
While on a phone call, my friend suggested I cut out caffeine for a week. There are multiple health benefits of doing so, but I cared more about the later effects, namely the idealistic prediction that my first cup of joe after a week of abstaining would do wonders in terms of giving me a boost of energy.
Although I meant to last from Monday to Sunday, I accidentally had boba from Kung Fu tea last Saturday (I forgot that milk tea has caffeine in it!), so I instead had my experiment extend for the school week. This is what it was like:
Monday
Last night, I had two cans of Coca-Cola and they put me to sleep faster than a dose of ZzzQuil would. Today, on this glorious Monday, I slept through my alarm and decided (kind of sadly) that this would be the first day of a no-caffeine week. Surprisingly, I feel really good. I’m not tired in my classes. I have the energy to participate in discussions and speed walk down Comm. Ave and grab dinner with friends, giggling the entire time. I can just tell that the whole week won’t last like this, but I would love to ride this caffeine-cleanse high all the time.
Tuesday
I don’t know if these are withdrawals, but I’m a mess. Usually when I’m sleep deprived I can feel my heart thump in my chest, and that’s what’s happening now. I have very little strength in my hands and typing this is honestly a bit of a struggle. I slept for a ridiculous amount of time. I only have one class on Tuesdays, an economics lecture at 2:00 p.m., and I genuinely fell asleep during class, a phenomenon that shocked me when I watched my classmates do it.
But it’s incredibly easy to close your eyes momentarily, feel your head and body slump a few times, and then just be asleep. The last thing I remembered before my nap was a blank screen, and I woke up to see that same blank screen.
Afterwards, I dropped by Haute Coiffure for a bit of trim, and I was extremely energetic there. Selective enthusiasm?
The caffeine cleanse is not going well.
Wednesday
Today’s a day of have-nots. I have not EVER been more tired in my life, nor have I ever craved Starbucks so much. While usually I can go with only getting it a few times a month, every single person walking down Comm. Ave with their seasonal PSLs or salted caramel mocha frappuccinos (my favorite drink of all time, btw) seems to be taunting me.
My wallet may be happy, but my energy level is not.
Thursday
Today wasn’t so bad. I’ve been drinking only water, apple juice, and the SoBe lifewater from the dining halls, and I think I could probably do this for the long haul. My energy level isn’t particularly high or low. It’s just right. I’m not falling asleep during my lectures, yet my occasional bouts of insomnia aren’t acting up and instead I’m feeling tired at 11 p.m., which is, generally, a healthy time for bed.
Friday
Credit: Fortune
I’m happy the week is mostly over, not because my caffeine dependence is screaming right now, but because I’ve been craving both chocolate and the carbonation of Pepsi/Coke (the dining halls’ caffeine-free Sierra Mist just isn’t the same). While I don’t know if I’m ready to give caffeine up completely, I’m definitely going to be more inclined to drink less after I’ve learned that my mind and body have a strong enough will to not be thaaaaat reliant on the substance.
Credit: Tone to ATL
Recap: While there were some hiccups earlier in the week, I’d say the experiment was a success! My medium milk tea from Kung Fu Tea woke me up so much when I had it Saturday, but it also made my heart pound, which put me off a little bit. Since that no-caffeine week, I’ve had considerably less caffeine. I may have had a few thai teas and a Wild Cherry Pepsi from the fridges at Warren Late Night, but for the most part, my consumption has decreased significantly and I feel a whole lot better. I’d totally recommend doing this, even if it’s just to test your own mental resilience!
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