Last week I decided to conduct a little experiment; I challenged myself to go a week without coffee.
Let me make one fact clear: I am somewhat addicted to caffeine. When I say somewhat, I mean that it is rare that I can get through a day without it. I have been aware of this fact for some time now; however, I decided to test my boundaries. Yes, my name is Ryan and I have a coffee addiction.Monday, day one in my trial, was as bad as I had anticipated. I woke up early and instead of falling into my usual routine (run, a few glasses of water, shower, and two cups of Joe), I skipped my morning batch and moved on with the rest of my day. I usually have another cup between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., and I was able to skip that daily dose as well. However, by the time four o'clock rolled around, my leg started twitching under my desk and my head was throbbing. I did not know how much longer I could endure. Needless to say, I did not make it past Tuesday before surrendering to the caffeine gods.
Caffeine is a drug; we have all heard that before. On top of that it is the most accessible, does not require a prescription and is relatively inexpensive. As a result of these factors, caffeine has become the drug of choice for most college students. In fact, many students will claim that they cannot get through the day without a cup of coffee or a couple of sodas. Clearly, I am a classic example of the previous statement. And while you may expect me to advocate breaking free from the reins of coffee, instead I am supporting the loyal consumers.
As a former employee of Starbucks, I could blame the corporation for providing me with countless free cups of coffee throughout the five years I spent working for them. At one point, after spending months of working the opening shift and still juggling school and other activities, I became accustomed to taking up to eight shots of espresso every morning. Nonetheless, I realize it is my (not my employer's) issue. In my opinion, there are much worse things to be addicted to.
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Hello, my name is Kris and I am also addicted to coffee. I think it's great that you wrote this column because I don't think enough students realize that just because a drug is legal does not mean it is safe. In fact, many studies have concluded that caffeine is more addictive than marijuana. Yet, VT serves coffee all across campus and kicks students out of school for a full academic year if students are caught with marijuana. There is no sanity to the prohibition on drugs, especially when the alternative could be tolerance towards moderation in the absence of abstinence.
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