The combination of finals season and the holidays can bring added stress to many students. With final projects and exams due, holiday shopping, work, and personal obligations, it can be a hard to keep up or want to stay awake.
Elizabeth Ruvalcaba (senior, Fine Arts) said, “Finals week can be super intense,and the workload of the semester seems to be a lot heavier at the end since it’s the final stretch,… it just seems as though I have no time for anything when it come to balancing work and school.”
Students need to stay energized and sharp throughout the day to make it through the final tests, presentations, and other assignments. Often times, students will turn to a beverage loaded with caffeine and sugar; such as an iced coffee or an energy drink.
Hayley Simon (senior, Fine Arts) said, “Some of the negatives to caffeine are that I always experience the caffeine crash and I get super dehydrated so I drink a lot of cold water to keep a good balance between the two.”
According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF), consuming caffeine is safe to do in moderate amounts. It is even possible to overdose on caffeine. Some symptoms of a potential overdose are “irregular heart rate, confusion and panic attack and seizures.” Medical attention is likely needed if these symptoms occur.
Drinking too much caffeine can have negative side effects and even do the opposite of keeping a person energized. The ADF states that something to consider is how much caffeine a person should consume based on their body, like weight and height.
There are several healthier alternatives to get that caffeinated boost throughout the day. The Livestrong website lists 5 natural alternatives to caffeine. Increase your vitamin B intake, a deficiency in vitamin B can lead to sleepiness and inattention. Some sources of vitamin B are nuts, eggs, bananas, and several other foods. Some other alternatives to keep in mind is the amount of protein consumption you have, to keep hydrated, and to also increase your herb intake there are many home remedies that you can make to keep your energy boosted.
Vanessa Aguilera, (senior, Fine Arts) said, “I don’t drink any energy drinks or coffee to stay awake or to keep alert during finals week. I don’t need them because they don’t do anything for me. I experience no side effects or any burst of energy, so I’m not going to drink a bunch of sugar for nothing.”
Another alternative for a caffeinated boost throughout the day is protein. This provides a supply and maintaining energy. There are several choices for protein, such as lean-meat, whole wheat toast, and other options.
Hydration is key to maintaining energy throughout the day. If students need that extra boost throughout the day, they can try other alternatives before reaching for that coffee or energy drink.
