College Caffeine Consumption

A new year and a new semester have arrived at Sinclair, and with it arrives the early formation of caffeine consuming habits that could last a lifetime. Approximately 30 percent of all college students turn to energy drinks for a surge of temporary energy.
Life as a college student is a delicate balance. Many students are trying to make a tough transition by adding classes to their already-full lives, along with suddenly gaining responsibility for their own schedules.
Maintaining a balance between class, family, work and more can lead to students pulling all-nighters. Some students believe staying awake all night can be helpful, and some are strongly against them.
Nicholas Bernard, Engineering Transfer student at Sinclair, argues that a compromise exists.
“I think it would be better off to get a few hours of sleep, at least three or four, just to make sure that you’re rested up some, but you also want to know the material that you’re studying in the class enough to where you’ll get a decent grade in the class,” said Bernard.

Chris Calton, a Sinclair student whose major is Business Administration, admits that balancing school, family and work can be difficult. He goes to school full-time, works full-time and also cares for his family. Sometimes Calton pulls all-nighters.
“It depends on how my work schedule is, and what’s going on in my life family-wise, and you have work again and just what’s going on timing wise— sometimes it happens,” said Calton.
In 2010, 19.4 percent of college students had not tried an energy drink because they thought it was unhealthy. Energy drinks consist primarily of caffeine, a Central Nervous System stimulant, with some added natural stimulants such as ginseng and taurine.
One energy drink approximates to one strong cup of coffee or two to three regular cups of coffee. Consuming energy drinks contributes to insomnia, the inability to sleep. 70 percent of college students get insufficient sleep and 50 percent of college students report daytime sleepiness.
“I drink Advocare spark,” said Calton. “I drink it in the morning to wake me up and then I drink it before I go to work.”
About insomnia, he adds, “If I drink it at night, I’m up all night and I can’t get any sleep, and it’s an all-nighter because I can’t sleep.”
Energy drinks can also contribute to headaches, which 22 percent of college users report, and palpitations, commonly known as having a racing heart, which 19 percent of college users report. Palpitations can lead to cardiac arrest in severe cases.
Energy drinks can also lead to high blood pressure, dehydration and the aggravation of effects from other stimulants when combined. For example, research has found that when comparing someone who does not drink energy drinks to someone who drinks six or more energy drinks per month, those who drink energy drinks are three times as likely to abuse prescription drugs and/or smoke cigarettes, and twice as likely to abuse alcohol and smoke marijuana.
However, it is indeed a fact that energy drinks improve attention and reaction times during periods of cognitive demand that are longer than normal.
The majority of college students survive college without the aid of energy drinks, yet there are plenty of students who drink these stimulants regularly. To avoid using energy drinks as a last-ditch effort, some students recommend planning ahead.
“Don’t wait until the last minute to do school work,” said Calton. “Get your work done when you get it assigned so you don’t have to worry about the last minute, or do as much as you can so there’s not as much happening at the end.”
Bernard said that students should get ahead on your work if possible and do not procrastinate toward the end because it can mess up your grade point average.
James Viers, majoring in CIS User Support, argues the opposite point, “Honestly I’d go for energy drinks, just because it helps keep your momentum up, keeps you awake. I find it helps me focus, even when I’m on three at a time.”
Viers uses energy drinks to get through school. Viers recommends not putting any work off because it is possible to fall behind, and lose financial aid.
The general consensus appears to be that whether or not we use energy drinks, we should not procrastinate to the point of feeling obligated to pull all-nighters and overdose on caffeine. Although 30 percent of college students choose to use energy drinks and 70 percent do not, we all have the capability of making that decision.