Over the past few decades, student caffeine intake has significantly spiked in high school environments in correlation with increased academic pressure, which takes a toll on student energy levels and compels them to rely on stimulants to boost vitality.
With the pressure to overachieve in academics due to intense competition throughout the college application process, students are prompted to put much more effort into succeeding at school and extracurriculars. However, their energy capacity throughout the day remains unchanged. This may have forced them to resort to consuming more caffeinated beverages to maintain productivity.
While this solution works to an extent in increasing one’s daily energy capacity, it can also cause sizable detriment to their body both short and long term, and is not a sustainable approach to dealing with academic pressure.
Statistics from The National Center for Education show that students have taken higher-level, more demanding course loads in the past decade to keep up with their peers and college standards. Additionally, a survey on caffeine and academics in the Journal of Family and Child Health found that academic pressure and deadlines caused over 50% of student bodies around the United States to increase their intake of caffeinated beverages and to do so regularly. All surveyed students attested to the substantial strain that their academics have on their lifestyles. This then leads them to take shortcuts such as consuming caffeine in order to have enough energy to manage their schedules.
“I definitely do find myself drinking coffee when I have more deadlines and more assignments I need to do so that I can stay awake longer and finish all my work,” said junior Lana Mikushina. “Especially in my freshman year, the big transition from middle school to high school brought a lot of new habits and one of those was drinking a lot of coffee to be more productive by reducing my sleep.”
Mikushina mentions the correlation between caffeine intake in students and the weight of their workload, especially when transitioning to more demanding courses. Her testimony mirrors a similar adjustment that the rest of America’s students face as well — the demand for more effort into academics with the difficulty of college admissions ever escalating, prompting students to change their habits to keep up with expectations.
Another endorser for caffeine as a dietary component is the media’s aesthetic portrayal of caffeine intake. Also known as “coffee culture,” online platforms and even social circles influenced by the media often promote caffeine as an efficiency booster, suggesting that its consumption has ties to social interaction and engagement.
Said Mikushina, “I remember I would have two or three cups in the morning and then I would go back to Main Street during lunch for another cup. I’d mainly do this for the social aspect — it was a way to enjoy time with friends.”
Another example includes the infamous “Kay Chung method” on TikTok, where dental student Kay Chung documents her high level of caffeine intake in order to pull all-nighters and finish her studies. However, Chung herself does not recommend this method. She often expresses her disapproval of her own study strategy, especially in her young viewers who comment on their desire to drink multiple energy drinks under her videos.
“I wish people wouldn’t do my [tactic] personally. I feel like they should just watch me and stop there,” said Chung. “They shouldn’t be drinking that much caffeine.”
One student viewer, Valentina Ramirez, attempted the KC strategy before her exam and reported the physical concerns she experienced afterwards.
“For me, it was not worth the cost. I got heart palpitations thanks to the energy drink and barely got sleep,” Ramirez said.
While academic pressure and the media continue to serve as incentives for students to implement caffeinated beverages into their daily routine, understanding the implications of this habit is crucial to ensuring students maintain their overall wellbeing.
Caffeine is a drug that artificially boosts energy and alertness levels. In an article by the American Medical Association, Doctor Nicole Clark shares her concerns on the correlation between caffeine and anxiety levels. “Caffeine is a stimulant and it stimulates some of the chemicals in your brain, speeding everything up,” said Clark. She goes further by stating that caffeine is linked with increase in cholesterol, and most concerningly, withdrawal syndrome, which can last days and lead to other health impairments such as headaches and fatigue.
“It does keep my brain going when I’m feeling tired, but most times, caffeine makes you more anxious and I have found that especially before a test, it can make you feel a lot more jittery and even worsen your performance,” said Mikushina.
Caffeine, especially in the form of energy drinks or coffee, is not only found in abundant supply in stores, but is also easy to intake without tracking doses. Due to this, caffeine consumption can go unnoticed until its effects are irreversible, making it all the more dangerous.
However, it is often argued that if consumed in reasonable amounts or over extended intervals, caffeine intake can be nearly harmless, and promote both mental function and physical energy, even if only for a short period.
“I actually think that coffee isn’t specifically bad for you. But I think only when there’s tons of sugar added to it or if you’re taking an excessive amount of caffeine, that’s when those health problems can arise. As long as you aren’t too reliant on it, generally drinking coffee is fine. I drink a cup every day,” said Angela Diego from the student Wellness Center at Cupertino High School.
As science develops over the years, various studies have displayed the positive results of caffeine on mental and physical awareness — that is, in moderation. Ultimately, being a drug, it is best not to become reliant on it, though the occasional cup of coffee or Red Bull doesn’t cause significant or long-term harm to the average, healthy person.
If academic stress is significantly inciting caffeine consumption as a coping mechanism, it is important to consider different workload management techniques. Setting oneself up for success is key to not becoming reliant on artificial stimulants. Additionally, while it is easy to get distracted in social settings and overlook intake while with friends, health should always remain a first priority. A solution to dealing with peer or media promotion of coffee intake for aesthetic reasons is drinking similar but healthier alternatives, such as decaf or tea.
However difficult it is dealing with internal and external pressure, the implementation of too much caffeine at the risk of becoming addicted is not a viable solution, but rather another problem, as it can affect both one’s mental and physical wellbeing.
