I am a senior in college, and you can bet that I am heavily reliant on coffee to get through my day. Even though I don’t have any classes before 10:30 this semester, I spend a lot of late nights typing papers, studying for my LSAT, and trying to squeeze in all of the time with my friends I can. Managing my relationship, school, internship, clubs, and work can be absurdly overwhelming. Being stretched thin is normal in college and a lot of students find little ways to boost their performance ability. This usually comes in the form of coffee, caffeine pills, or energy drinks. I resisted as long as I could but, alas, I have joined the masses. I make coffee runs every day, and I need to have my morning cup immediately to wake up. The problem is, it doesn’t feel like coffee is working any more. I am definitely not trying to switch to anything harder, but I feel like I need to drink more and more to keep up with my addiction. I have resorted to drinking up to four cups a day, and those days turn into sleepless nights. So, I have made it a New Year’s resolution to quit. Here’s how it’s going so far and some tips in case anyone wants to join me on my anti-caffeine crusade.
- The first week is the hardest. My cravings were especially bad in the morning when I woke up, and I would get groggy at 2 pm like clockwork. However, the headaches subsided after a few minutes and once I got to Week 2, it was much easier to maintain.
- Occupying yourself is key. By forcing yourself to participate in activities throughout the day, you will feel more tired and fall asleep quicker at night. That will reset your sleep schedule and make you a happier quitter.
- Exercise! I used to hate working out but now I look forward to it, because the rush of endorphins I get has replaced my caffeine high. During break, I would go around 2 pm and it would keep me awake for the rest of the day.
- Avoid triggers. If you have a Keurig machine in your apartment, go through all of your cups or—as wasteful as it is—throw them away. While I was at home during break, I would smell my parents making coffee in the morning which drove me nuts. It’s much easier at school where I am not constantly tempted.
- Tell a friend. Having someone to keep you accountable will improve your rates of success. If you can reach out to a trusted friend when you feel tired and cranky, you will be able to talk about those cravings and they will help you realize how silly it is to feel that way about a cup of hot bean juice.
Some people don’t feel like their coffee addiction is a problem but I have saved money, time and my teeth are whiter since I quit. I feel like a more natural person, now that I am not synthetically awake. My sleep schedule is natural now, and I feel happy with my herbal tea. I would highly recommend a detox, and quitting to true addicts like myself.