Caffeine: Best Friend or Worst Enemy? (Blog)

Hi, my name is Christina. I’m a recovering addict.

A caffeine addict, that is.

On January 25, 2010, I attempted to get through the entire day without any caffeine. The key word here is attempted.

The funny thing is, I’m actually allergic to caffeine. Doctors have been telling me since I was a little kid that it’s bad for me, and it could make my heart race dangerously. So naturally, as a child, my parents never let me near it.

But then I entered college, and was opened up to a world of caffeine!

With my parents no longer around to pester me about the dangers of the drug, I experimented with Coca Cola, dark chocolate, energy drinks like Red Bull and the big one – black coffee!

I had never felt so focused, so ready to take on the world! Caffeine became a big part of my life, and I depend on it each day to get me though. As you can imagine, this little experiment was no easy task for me.

I woke up on the morning of the 25th and didn’t go near my coffee pot. Instead, I grabbed a juice box from the refrigerator and headed to class. By 10:00 A.M., I was dragging. Big time.

At lunch, I was tempted to grab a Diet Coke, but I stuck with water instead. I had never felt so defeated in my life, and could barely keep my eyes open.

By the time class came around at 1:00 P.M., I was ready to go down for a nap. Advanced Reporting class wasn’t the place I wanted to be, and I was left to imagine my soft, comfy bed.

At 4:00 P.M. I cracked. I bought an espresso-filled caramel macchiato from the student center. As soon as I took my first sip, I felt at ease with myself again. I really took for granted the abundance of caffeine around me, and had no idea it would be this hard to quit.

One day I’ll quit caffeine altogether, but I know it certainly won’t be while I’m still attending Flagler College.