As you walk into the school doors, you take a sip from your plastic cup, filled to the brim with coffee, the logo of a chain coffee franchise plastered on the front. The cold drink condenses on the cup, its coolness permeating to your hand. Scanning your surroundings, the typical scene of students holding an energy drink or iced coffee unfolds.
In today’s stressful and fast paced educational environment, students rely on caffeine to enhance their focus and energy levels. As students consuming caffeine has become an increasingly common sight in the hallways, students and teachers raise questions about caffeine’s effects.
Whether it’s a quick stop at a chain coffee shop drive-thru in the morning, grabbing an energy drink out of your fridge, or purchasing a soda at the school’s vending machine; many students depend on caffeinated beverages. Teachers are aware of this phenomenon as well.
“I see students with an energy drink or coffee all the time; a good one-third if not half of the class has one or the other,” says Mrs. Alyson Frare, a health teacher here at Wakeland. Furthermore, a study by Mayo Clinic shows that 83% of teens ages 13-18 consume caffeine regularly, and 96% drink it semi-regularly.
Teens often turn to caffeine, a stimulant that improves alertness, wakefulness, and mood, when they feel tired or exhausted in the mornings.
“(Caffeine) energizes me and gives me the motivation I need to work,” sophomore Chloe Tran states. “As an avid caffeine drinker myself, cracking open an energy drink is a quick and easy solution to helping me stay -and feel- awake.”
Students have little awareness of caffeinated drinks’ side effects. When asked whether they believe students are aware of the impacts of caffeine, teachers are quick to respond, ‘No,’.
“[Students] think of it as just a good drink they want,” Frare said.
While caffeine is a useful way to help boost your energy levels, it is also known to lead to increased anxiety, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, or a disrupted sleep cycle. Additionally, it may contribute to headaches and digestive issues, as well as a heightened heart rate.
“I don’t think that society in general is even aware of what it could do to you,” adds Mrs. Elvira Aguilar, a teacher at Wakeland.
Whether buying a soda at the vending machine or an energy drink at The Cave, Wakeland students continue to consume caffeinated beverages. How will this trend impact their health and academic performance in the long run?
Shriyans Raut • Oct 22, 2024 at 10:17 am
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