By Austin Burnham

As a college student, staying up to study for that inevitable final exam becomes a late night ritual.  For those who love to procrastinate and cram in as much information as they can last minute, waking up in the morning becomes their worst nightmare.  The sound of the alarm clock only results in two things: a hole in the wall, and a broken alarm clock.

Instead of hitting the snooze button and falling back asleep, some students will turn to sugary energy drinks, such as Monster, Rockstar, and Red Bull.  Other students may choose a cup of coffee as their source of energy.  Coffee provides an excellent source of energy, as well as many significant health benefits.  Studies show that drinking a cup of coffee results in improved focus and alertness.  That is just the beginning. Joe Vinson, Ph.D., lead researcher at the University of Scranton, says, “Americans get more of their antioxidants from coffee than any other dietary source.  Nothing else comes close.”

Research also suggests that coffee decreases the risk of some very deadly diseases.  People who drink coffee are shown to have a lower risk for Alzheimer’s, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and prostate and liver cancer. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, revealing the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States, supports this research. For those who don’t drink coffee, now would be a good time to start.

A popular place to indulge in a delicious cup of coffee is Starbucks.  The phenomenon of Starbucks has been around for over 40 years.  Starbucks retail stores serve over 60 million customers a week.  With a wide variety to choose from, including sugar-free and fat-free options, the baristas are able to satisfy anyone’s taste buds.  Brett Lanham, a coffee enthusiast, says he enjoys Starbucks coffee; “I drink coffee to keep me awake and alert.  Starbucks is convenient because there’s practically one on every corner.”

Starbucks may be the go to spot for most college students.  Kyle Burnham, an SPC student, says he likes to make his own cup of coffee.  “It’s easier to make my own; especially because I am always in a hurry to get to my classes on time.  Coffee provides the perfect boost of energy, while still being affordable for someone on a college budget.” Kyle also pointed out that he tried other ways to obtain energy in the past.  He said, “Coffee was the healthiest, cheapest, and most effective.”

Sydney Williams, an early college student, enjoys the untraditional and increasingly popular iced coffee.  She said, “Living in Florida, it’s too hot for regular coffee.  The idea of drinking steaming hot coffee in 90 degree heat doesn’t appeal to me.  Once I tried iced coffee, I was hooked.” She makes a very good point; there are so many different options to choose from other than the traditional cup of coffee.

Coffee has rapidly become the go-to drink for college students looking to succeed.   So whether you’re waking up from a comatose state caused by information overload or just in need of an energy boost to get through another exhausting day, coffee is the perfect perk me up!

Header photo by David Pacey (flickr creative commons license)