Caffeine Culture in College

Written by: Anna Roberson Graphic by: Emily Snisarenko Design by: Shelby Mitchell

Caffeine consumption is alive and well among college students. If you’ve entered any of the Starbucks on campus, you would know. The pick-up lines are overflowing with green and white bags and plastic drink lids. Additionally, if you look closely, you’ll find “mobile order” stickers littering the sidewalks of Commonwealth Avenue. It’s no surprise that college students enjoy caffeine. We have late nights and busy schedules that require increased energy and concentration. But could our caffeine habits be hurting us more than helping?

It depends on what we’re drinking. Maxine Garbacz, a sophomore in the Questrom school of Business, said she has, on average, two coffees a day. Her go-to order is a grande latte with caramel syrup and oat milk. A grande latte has two shots of espresso in it, bringing her daily total to four shots, or 280 mg of caffeine. A lot of athletes take pre-workout caffeine for a boost of energy and focus. According to Cleveland Clinic, most brands range from 150 to 300 mg per serving, equivalent to three cups of coffee. And oftentimes, people are taking the pre-workout in the afternoon after their morning coffee. Energy drinks like Monster, Celsius, Redbull, and Bang can be found in BU’s vending machines and convenience stores. These brands range from 80 to 300 mg per serving, making up most of the average adult’s daily caffeine intake in just one can.

The dangers of caffeine have a lot to do with the individual’s reason for consuming it. Most college students are drinking coffee or tea because they like the taste, it’s part of their routine, and/or they want a boost of energy in the morning. Energy drinks and pre-workout powders are used more so for getting a rush of alertness and energy for a specific purpose. This purpose could be a long day of studying, a workout, a sports game, a performance, etc. College students also consume caffeine with alcohol for pregaming parties, sports games, concerts, or nights out. For example, espresso martinis and vodka red bulls. Burnt out college students may think they need to “wake up” for a fun night out, but caffeine can mask the effects of alcohol leading to increased risk of injury, blacking out, drinking, and driving, etc. Yes, caffeine helps us. Knowing I will have a coffee with breakfast helps get me out of bed and out the door to my morning lectures. For the average healthy adult, 400 mg is the limit of daily caffeine according to Mayo Clinic. While most students fall safely under that limit, it’s important to be aware of the potential negative effects of caffeine.

Caffeine is a stimulant drug. Other types of stimulant drugs include nicotine, cocaine, crystal meth, and other dangerous substances. “There is no safe level of drug use. Use of any drug always carries some risk,” says the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Just like illegal, dangerous drugs, people’s bodies react differently to caffeine depending on their age, size, weight, and tolerance. It’s even possible to overdose on caffeine. Overdose symptoms include tremors, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heart rate, confusion, panic attacks, and seizures. So, we can’t just drink iced coffee like its water.

Although not as severe as an overdose, caffeine has come down with withdrawal symptoms. As an experienced coffee drinker, I have noticed the occasional crash of drowsiness after the caffeine in my body wears off. Sometimes that drowsiness is accompanied by a headache. Caffeine is not addictive, but one can become dependent on it and experience withdrawals when they stop. Withdrawals from caffeine can affect mood, energy levels, concentration, and cause headaches, constipation, muscle pains, and irritability.

Normal caffeine consumption may interfere with calcium absorption and increase blood pressure, which can lead to upset stomach or heartburn. Too much caffeine can cause side effects like dizziness, insomnia, headaches, shakiness, dehydration, and anxiety (Medline Plus).

Thankfully, there are ways to mitigate these side effects without going cold turkey since, let’s be real, I won’t be giving up coffee any time soon. Keep tabs to make sure you don’t exceed 400 mg a day. To avoid symptoms of dizziness and shakiness, don’t have too much caffeine on an empty stomach. Lastly, to prevent restlessness or insomnia, try to have your last dose before 3 p.m.

Not only does caffeine carry physical and mental costs, but literal ones too. According to Forbes Magazine’s estimate from 2017, the average dollars spent on one beverage from Starbucks is $6. Assuming most students buy coffee more than once a week, this can really add up. College students aren’t the most financially flexible demographic, so this takes a toll.

Even if you don’t participate in coffee consumption, the culture of caffeine is everywhere in college. Where do we go to kill time and do work in between classes? For me and the hundreds of kids I never fail to see there, it’s the Questrom Starbucks, the Warren Starbucks, or the GSU Starbucks. Meetings and interviews are usually scheduled in coffee shops. When I want to catch up with a friend — new or old — we go get coffee. When I wake up on a Sunday morning with hours of work to do, I take myself to a local coffee shop to caffeinate and focus. A coffee shop is a social environment that facilitates productivity and collaboration and, well, caffeination.

This idea goes beyond the actual consumption of coffee or caffeine. Being busy, burnt out, and exhausted is normalized and almost glamorized among college students. People love to tell you that they stayed up all night working on their final for Evolutionary Psychology Level 300 and just barely had time to get a coffee before class. Because saying you got a full eight hours and came to class on time because you didn’t need to stop for coffee just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

I am certainly guilty of perpetuating this idea. But the truth is, we don’t need caffeine. We need sleep, rest, and balance, and we can make coffee in our dorms and apartments. Overall, caffeine culture will always persist. But college students should take better care of themselves and their wallets.