6 Reasons Why Coffee Is Your Best Friend In College

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When I was younger, I had no idea why my parents drank coffee every morning. I just saw it as a staple of adulthood. I didn’t quite understand the role that caffeine played in our bodies, so I merely dismissed it as something that wasn’t for me. Imagine my surprise now as a college student, when getting a cup of coffee has become an integral part of my daily routine.
Ah yes, those morning trips to Starbucks. Standing in those painfully long lines for that delicious White Mocha. It’s an obsession, really. A staple in all our lives. Ask any student and they’ll tell you that coffee is the one thing they can depend on; that it’s practically their best friend. Incase you haven’t yet found out for yourself, here are some reasons why:

1. Because it keeps us awake. And for some reason, we’re always tired.

Class. Work. Studying. More work. There just aren’t enough hours in the day! We always find ourselves yawning and wanting to play the nap game. Sometimes the tasks on our to-do lists are just too much to bear. We literally can’t even. But no matter what, coffee always seems to be the solution. Not only does it heighten our senses, it increases our attention span and our logical reasoning. Simply put, it’s the shot of life that we need to take on the obstacles of the day.

2. Because we’re too lazy to stay healthy and coffee is the next best thing.

The gym struggle is all too real. With such busy schedules, staying fit just doesn’t really…fit into our daily routine. We’re too preoccupied with assignments, projects, study guides. Or perhaps we’re so burnt out from the day that the thought of hopping on a treadmill sounds exhausting. Fret not because coffee has some surprising health benefits. It raises your metabolism and reduces the risk of Type II Diabetes. It’s also packed with nutrients and is the number one source of antioxidants. Who knows, you might even find the energy to actually go to the gym. You’re welcome.

3. Because it works as a hangover cure, I kid you not.

That’s right. Hangovers. Done. You know how it goes. You’re out celebrating, drinking like it’s the New Year because you’ve finished that term paper or passed an exam with flying colors. Only you go a little too hard and know you’ll be in a whirlwind of pain the next day. To make matters worse, you forgot you have work in the morning — or worse, an early class. The cure? A cup of caffeine will do the trick. Not only is it the pick-me-up you’re looking for, it also gives your liver the aid that it needs to recover from a night out on the town.

4. Because it makes procrastinating so much more fun!

One thing about every college student is that there’s always something we end up putting off until the night before it’s due. Then, it’s game time. We close the doors and wire ourselves in for the dreaded all-nighter. But you can’t do it without coffee. That’s what makes the journey so much better, if not easier. There’s something undeniably fun about it as well, addicting even. To stay focused and get something done over the course of an entire night. Sure, it takes a lot out of you, but there’s nothing more satisfying than to stand proudly over your work and know that you made it out alive.

5. Because we have a habit of binge-watching until the wee-hours of the morning.

Binge-watching is both a blessing and a curse for college students. It gives us the satisfaction of watching a TV show without interruption or having to wait an entire week for the next episode. Only problem is that it takes up too much of our time. And time, as we all know, is a luxury we cannot afford to lose. We often do go overboard, especially with shows like The Walking Dead in order to avoid spoilers and partake in the discussions on social media. It’s a price we gladly pay, or begrudgingly so, because some of us are burdened with morning classes. But have no fear. Starbucks is near! A venti is the perfect revival from your zombified state. Your professor won’t even notice.

6. Because the day isn’t complete without it.

I don’t know about you, but I can hardly go about my day without a decent cup of coffee. It helps me mentally prepare myself, either for a full day of classes or for a night of studying at the library. Not that I’m dependent on coffee or addicted (though you could certainly make a case for it). It just helps me get in the zone. We all have our own ways of doing so. Some people listen to a good song. Others need to spend some time reading or watch an episode to clear their heads. For me, it’s coffee. I either have it before or at the end of my day (never both because I’m not addicted, I swear) because it also serves as a good reward. And believe me, in the stress-inducing environment of college, we need our own personal rewards wherever we can find them.

Coffee is undoubtedly my saving grace. It’s also my companion. There’s something comforting about having it just a reach away from my keyboard. So when I’m face down on my desk, I’ve got something to look up to, something to look forward to. In turn, it keeps me up, and there’s no better friend than that.