Throughout their lives, specifically in high school, many teenagers turn their attention to caffeine. Caffeine gives them energy and power to work through their daily lives and pushes them to complete their assignments. They may resort to drinking caffeinated drinks in order to motivate themselves and urge them to do certain things such as working through school assignments, or keep them awake during a job shift.
“I started drinking [energy drinks] when I started working,” junior Mattew Lucase said. “I [drank] it a lot because work is unbearable sometimes.”
The average amount of caffeine provided in one cup of coffee is 95 milligrams, while in an energy drink, it can range between 80-300 milligrams per serving. These numbers are already high as it is, but some people resort to drinking multiple cups or cans per day.
Although most teenagers drink both coffee and energy drinks, there are people who prefer energy drinks. This is due to the amount of energy they are able to gain from it. Energy drinks have a significantly higher amount of caffeine than coffee offers, boosting students’ energy more in a shorter amount of time.
“[Energy drinks] also give me more energy, or at least when I drink coffee I feel less energized than energy drinks. I have like one energy drink a day I would say,” junior Valeria Salas said.
On the other hand, there are individuals who choose to drink coffee daily because of their preference for flavor and simplicity.
“I prefer coffee because it tastes better and lasts longer,” junior Jasmine Starzyk said. “I drink it a lot because it’s the only way I can stay awake during the day.”
The more caffeine someone drinks, the more likely they will become addicted to it. For WJ students, Giant and Starbucks are within walking distance, giving students easier access to purchase coffee or energy drinks. Students who drink coffee purchase it from Starbucks before school, during lunch or after school. In Giant, it holds multiple types of caffeinated drinks including some of the most common energy drinks like Celcius, Monster and Red Bull. But, they also provide other options like bottled coffee or soda bottles.
“I’d say [I drink] a cup per day and per week like five cups,“ sophomore Mariama Diallo said.
In any case, coffee and energy drinks aren’t the only beverages that input caffeine into our system. Soda and certain types of tea can have the same effect on our bodies. Caffeine has a lot of negative effects that many people are aware of but don’t necessarily take into consideration. They let the benefits they receive from caffeine outweigh the consequences.
“[I think] caffeine is horrible for you no matter how you drink it,” Lucase said.
