Finals

Last week was finals week at UAA. Like the rest of my fellow collegians, I was trying to cram studying and paper writing into every spare second of the day. The Cuddy cafeteria, normally buzzing with chatter, was as quiet as a library with young co-eds grouped at various tables, huddled over textbooks and laptops trying to get all the last minute studying done before exams. One particular set of students caught my eye. This group had not only the ubiquitous and seemingly prerequisite cup of coffee but also an entire case of Red Bull as a study aid. Curiosity aroused, I looked more closely around the room and nearly every student was two-fisting liquid energy, most with a cup of coffee chased with some kind of energy drink. Had I been a real journalist, I would have interviewed them all to ask more about their study habits. Do energy drinks really help? Don't they get jittery? Do they crash? Can they remember what they learn "high" on caffeine? Can they sleep when they need to? How many energy drinks are required to get through finals week? How much coffee?
As for me, I get by on coffee, lots of coffee. To be even more specific, I get by on Venti, Breve, Sugar-free Hazelnut, 3-Splenda Lattes.