The different types of collegiate caffeine consumption, according to students
By GRACIELA TIU — features@theaggie.org
Caffeinated drinks, whether it’s coffee, tea or energy drinks, remain a staple for many UC Davis students. Each student’s caffeine consumption varies, with some drinking it multiple times a day, others only a couple times a week and some drinking none at all.
“I drink some sort of caffeine maybe twice a week,” Tiffany Liebelt, a third-year biochemistry and molecular biology major, said. “I love Monsters, tea and Dutch Bros Rebels.”
Alex Wyman, a third-year design major, also shared her typical caffeine habits.
“I drink coffee almost every day, usually in the morning,” Wyman said. “I usually make it myself or I get one from a coffee shop.”
Luckily for the university’s caffeine drinkers, Davis has plenty of spots to grab a cup of coffee — including at the Memorial Union (MU) Coffee House (CoHo), or one of the six on-campus Peet’s Coffee locations.
“I love going to Dutch Bros or the Coffee House at the MU,” Liebelt said.
Besides the enjoyable taste of coffee and other caffeinated drinks, students tend to drink caffeine primarily for its other benefits.
“A lot of students drink caffeine if they have to stay up late to study or anything like that,” Lia Reznik, a fourth-year clinical nutrition major, said. “Or, if they have an 8 a.m. or an early class, a lot of people will drink caffeine to be able to stay awake.”
With so many students drinking these beverages, many notice a culture of habits established surrounding consuming caffeine.
“People are always drinking caffeine and keep drinking it nonstop,” Liebelt said. “I’ve seen a lot of people comparing how many energy drinks they drink a day or comparing how many milligrams of caffeine they’ve had, and it’s interesting to see.”
For many students, another part of caffeine consumption is the social aspect of it.
“Caffeine is definitely a social thing too; It’s really easy to go on a coffee date with someone,” Reznik said. “Or if you’re looking for a place to study, going to a coffee shop with friends can be a really cute idea.”
Despite the various fun and beneficial things about caffeinated beverages, some students make the decision not to consume caffeine for different reasons.
“When it comes to focusing, for me caffeine makes me really jittery and anxious,” Reznik said. “I feel like my mind is kind of like everywhere if I drink caffeine, especially a lot of it.”
Another big reason people tend to cut out caffeine relates to their sleeping habits.
“I noticed that it’s hard for me to sleep if I drink caffeine in the evening or at night, so I usually make sure to only drink it in the morning,” Wyman said.
Health is also a popular topic people bring up when discussing caffeine consumption. Consuming over 400 milligrams of caffeine a day can be dangerous for one’s health and well-being, and it can also be dangerous at lower levels if a person has certain underlying health conditions, according to the American Medical Association.
With that being said, the right amount of caffeine often depends on each person’s individual circumstances.
“I do agree that there are a lot of health implications that can come with drinking a lot of coffee or caffeine, but I think it depends on the person,” Reznik said. “For me, I noticed the health implications really quickly, like not being able to sleep — so that’s kind of why I cut it out, but I think for some people it might not be as big of a deal.”
Written by: Graciela Tiu — features@theaggie.org