Opinion: College hyperproductivity culture normalizes caffeine addiction

In the city that never sleeps, students will do anything to stay awake.

Every morning, hundreds of NYU students stop at Pret A Manger, Starbucks, or any of the city’s countless coffee chains to buy their constant companion and true friend: a soothing cup of coffee. I’m the first to admit that I can’t imagine my existence without it, but it’s easy to forget that just because every person you see walking next to you down the street has already drunk a fourth cup of joe, the drink can be doing more harm than good. .

Few things bring college students closer than coffee, other than mutual stress and fear of failing class. The reality of coffee’s addictive side effects is often brushed aside in favor of hustle culture. Having settled into a date at a coffee shop, students may forget that caffeine can have a long-term and damaging effect on the brain, and in large doses can cause anxiety, nausea, increased heart rate, and difficulty concentrating.

Caffeine use disorder is a pattern consisting of a person’s unsuccessful attempts to reduce or control their caffeine use despite knowing that it exacerbates physical or psychological problems. The disorder is also accompanied by withdrawal symptoms. World Health Organization now recognizes caffeine addiction as a clinical disorder.

Too busy with exams and social responsibilities, many students don’t know or care if what they eat is good for their health. Sho Ishizaki, a sophomore, says he wouldn’t be the same without a morning Americano with three espressos and two or three extra coffees in the afternoon.

“I’d rather be five minutes late for class than not drink coffee at all,” Ishizaki said. “I don’t really care about the negative health risks. I literally drink coffee instead of water.”

Thanks to his Pret A Manger coffee subscription, which allows users to consume up to five drinks a day for a monthly fee of just $25, Ishizaki is religious about coffee – he always walks around New York with a cup of coffee in hand. He explained that the city’s easy access to coffee fueled his transformation into a coffee enthusiast.

Cynthia Liu, another sophomore I spoke to, said her caffeine intake has increased since she moved to New York. She usually starts her weekday with two double espressos and one large cold drink. She doesn’t go a week without it to avoid withdrawal symptoms, which she described as similar to hangover symptoms. Without coffee, Liu’s body feels heavier, she has chronic migraines and brain fog, which she says affects her ability to go about her business.

What students like Ishizaki and Liu may not know is that high and prolonged caffeine intake can impair students’ ability to think clearly without the drink over time. In a study published in ScienceDirect, The researchers warned that a hectic work schedule could lead to sleep disturbances and an inability to regulate emotions without a morning cup of coffee.

For college students, academic pressure and the romanticization and normalization of coffee addiction can often overshadow the fact that caffeine is a drug. Unhealthy levels of consumption go unnoticed under the pretense of preparing for interim dates. Students destroy their bodies to resist the pressure to succeed, and no one batted an eyelid.

The WSN Opinion Section strives to post ideas worthy of discussion. The views expressed in the “Opinion” section are solely those of the author.

Contact Manami Yamano by phone [email protected]