Before coming to college everyone warned me that I would become addicted to caffeinated beverages – especially coffee. I did not believe them whatsoever.
I always make sure that I get enough sleep so I’m energized throughout the day. However, exhaustion can come in forms other than lack of sleep.
Classes, homework, extra-curricular activities and even a social life can be just as draining. So, it comes as no surprise that I have developed a modest addiction to coffee.
If I barely got any sleep the night before or I know I have meetings after my classes my first instinct is to go straight to the café on the second floor of Palumbo for my caffeine fix.
It started out last year small with a caramel macchiato once a week, but it soon escalated to me drinking coffee four out of the five school days.
Even if my class was in completely different building, I would still take time out of my day to walk all the way over to Palumbo and walk up the stairs just for a short burst of energy.
Once summer vacation came along I didn’t have access to any of my go-to caffeinated drinks and there was no way I was going to have coffee without any of those wonderful sweeteners. Slowly but surely, I weened myself off caffeine over the summer with only the occasional trip to Starbucks.
Except, the inevitable happened when this semester’s classes started up. At the first sign of drowsiness I made a beeline to Palumbo and fulfilled my addictive needs.
The drink I had been craving all summer quenched my thirst and cured me of my fatigue. After that short coffee break, I was energized enough to continue on with the rest of my day.
Not only have I started up my bad habit again, but I have begun to form a new one. Whenever someone wants to get together or have a meeting with me I tell them we should meet for coffee at Starbucks.
It is not the most ideal place to meet up with someone because the room is acoustically built in all the wrong ways. The tables are so squished together that you are elbow-to-elbow with a complete stranger and you feel as though everyone is eavesdropping on your conversation.
You would think this would stop me from going to a gathering at Starbucks, but since it is another opportunity to feed my addiction I always choose it whenever someone asks me where we should meet.
I have come to the realization that I am becoming – if not already – addicted to caffeine. There are just too many coffee shops in walking distance from my classes and my apartment.
I am going to attempt to make it my goal to ween myself off of coffee by the end of the semester. Although, I think it’s safe to say that at the first sign of weakness, I will cave and grab a steaming cup of joe.
MEGAN HAMM
