Many students depend on caffeine during the school day, some consuming it in hopes of boosting their energy and others for the flavor. According to MedicalNewsDaily, studies show that 83.2% of teenagers consume caffeine regularly and 96% consume it occasionally. An influx of caffeine can lead to heart issues, anxiety, irritability and more.
“I have been drinking tea since I can remember,” senior Elizaveta Korepova said. “Black tea, there’s caffeine in that. I’ve recently started drinking coffee and energy drinks, I think since last year.”
Korepova usually drinks around 200 milligrams of caffeine daily, ever since a young age she has been raised on drinking the tea her family imports from her home country Russia.
“I drink around two cups of tea a day and sometimes when I feel like I will need it that day, I will have to drink a cup of coffee in the morning,” Korepova said. “I think that I’m more drowsy without it, especially when I have calculus first period, I have to drink a cup of coffee or I cannot concentrate at all.”
Korepova believes the caffeine she consumes isn’t a concern, but can see dangers in other caffeinated drinks.
“I don’t really drink energy drinks on the regular and I feel like they’re the more dangerous type of caffeine,” Korepova said. “But I do like a cup of coffee, three times a week and tea every day and that’s just kind of natural from my family.”
Senior Shaylee Wood first started consuming caffeine in the fifth grade. Originally it started with Starbucks Frappuccinos and more recently has developed into dependence on iced coffee such as the Starbucks Caramel Macchiato.
“It’s mainly just a flavor thing, but if I don’t have it my head starts hurting, so I just have more,” Wood said. “I think that it’s just withdrawals from it, which I don’t really care. I’m still gonna continue to have it, I’m not really worried about it.”
Wood’s friends support her caffeine consumption sharing the same habits and her dad aids in covering the cost of the beverages.
“I don’t really think about the effects, but it probably does give me a boost of energy in the morning and I don’t know, it makes me so happy,” Wood said. “I think they support it because we like coffee and they drink energy drinks. So we all are delusional together.”
For the past year and a half junior Rushil Jacob first started consuming caffeine through the form of pre-workout, daily before attending the gym he puts a scoop of powder in water, the drink containing close to 200 milligrams of caffeine.
“The pre-workout has other stuff in it too that kind of helps my pumps and stuff, but also gives me energy,” Jacob said. “Sometimes it’s easier or sometimes it’s harder, but there are times where it doesn’t really make a difference, but most of the time, it’s harder without pre-workout.”
Jacob often quits for short periods of time, but never permanently because it’s a key part of his workout routine.
“I have taken detox breaks when I feel like it’s not affecting me anymore; it’s like a week without pre-workout,” Jacob said. “I have to kind of destroy that tolerance a little bit.”
Jacob’s peers aren’t concerned over his dependence on caffeine and his dad buys the tubs of preworkout for him because of how long they last.
“My friends don’t mind it because they all do the same thing,” Jacob said. “My family thinks it’s an addiction, but it’s not that bad. They’re just not that supportive of it.”
