A Sudden Caffeinated Craze
As a full time student arriving on campus semi-early in the morning, you would think my first instinct would be to grab a caffeinated drink. Whether it’s from our Zot-N-Go stores, the Starbucks scattered around ring road, or—if I had enough time—I could then make my own coffee. You would be so wrong! Somehow by the grace of God or by pure morning adrenaline, I move through nine to ten hour weekdays with ease (traffic not included by the way).
Once, after a very long school day, I was drained beyond belief even though I got enough sleep the night prior—eight hours if we want to be specific. The recommended amount isn’t supposed to leave you groggy all day, I thought. So I did the unthinkable, the most unnatural thing to me. I bought a vanilla latte at my local coffee shop, Sip n Savour.
For someone who has seen my mom and friends live and breathe coffee, I never understood the light that entered their eyes after the first sip. Day changing, and in my case…lifechanging. So began my nicknamed “caffeinated craze,” characterized by the frequent pit stops to grab my usual, and in my purse was a good book that took ages for me to read.
Yet little did I know, other things started to catch my eye on the menu! The titles of Espresso, Lattes, Matcha (Ceremonial), Signatures, Teas, Refreshers caught my eye, and the Extras had delicious options. Others include Lavender and honey Lattes, Strawberry Matchas, Strawberry Matcha Lattes’ and Downtown Brown, just to name a few. Though I practically chugged every drink on the menu, the impact of the caffeine on my grogginess was different at times.
Six months of personal investigation started with questions and ended in answers, money spent, and a coffee addiction. Worth it!
Long Mornings V.S. Longer Afternoons
I’m not a morning person at all, if we’re counting the first 30 minutes of waking up. The rude awakening leaves my cheeks puffy, eyes slightly swollen, and my body in need of water. The chores need to be done, my two dogs taken outside, and the sun is just too bright! I need to resist every urge to close the curtains and crawl back under my bed.
Sometimes those mornings are long, longer than they need to be. By the time I arrived on campus after an hour of traffic and a coffee stop, the sleepy haze eased little by little, relief with each sip of my caffeinated salvation.
I began paying closer attention to every sip I took. Not just the flavor, but the timing. How much caffeine was I consuming? How long did the effects last? Most importantly: what happens when I drink it later in the day?
The initial dosage of my morning coffee granted me a sufficient push to keep moving through the day. Classes are easier to get through and the storm clouds part like those curtains I don’t want to open. Three o’clock consistently comes with an energy plummet. That dreaded feeling of afternoon burn-out combined with craving a nap. Really badly.
It’s reasonable then that I wondered what would happen if I drank coffee later. What would change? What would not change? Does it really matter? My mom falls asleep after she drinks coffee. Will I do the same?
Actions have consequences, and I paid the price heavily with mine. The caffeine followed me way past the usual time, until 3 in the morning. Going from caffeine leaving my body at three in the afternoon to three in the morning was disastrous—so disastrous I had to do it again.
Scientists have to repeat experiments multiple times in order to prove a theory, with results differing slightly at each phase. My experimentation resulted in being awake, hyperaware, shaky hands, and endless staring at the ceiling.
In reality, I should have been asleep, prepping myself mentally and physically for the day ahead of me.
Coffee Cups instead of a Water Bottle
So what now? What should be my daily water intake is partially replaced by my plastic coffee cups. Trust me, I promise I’m getting my intake of H2O one way or another (no, it’s not the melted ice.)
Somewhere along the way, coffee stopped being an occasional treat and became part of my daily routine. A coffee before class. A coffee during a break. Sometimes, a coffee simply because I happened to be walking past a cafe and thought, why not?
Caffeine is the answer!
A drink could taste sweet, creamy, floral, or almost dessert-like and still contain enough caffeine to make a noticeable difference. The cup itself wasn’t telling me how long it intended to stay in my system.
Coffee can be comforting, delicious, and can make long study sessions feel less soul-sucking. The real experiment though, after consideration, was finding my limit.
Morning coffee is forever worth it, afternoon coffee means I have to proceed with caution.
Apparently, neither experience has taught me a single thing. If coffee could talk, the vanilla latte on my desk would be yelling my name in bold Sharpie letters.
Anyways, another sip for me to savor!