” Legal addictive stimulants are the driving force behind many college students survival. Chain smoking Camel Lights while guzzling that venti Starbucks livened up with a double shot of espresso and a Red Bull chaser all before 8 a.m. is the only way we know how to function in a world laden with last minute studying, all-nighters and weekends full of work and parties.”
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Legal addictive stimulants are the driving force behind many college students survival.

Chain smoking Camel Lights while guzzling that venti Starbucks livened up with a double shot of espresso and a Red Bull chaser all before 8 a.m. is the only way we know how to function in a world laden with last minute studying, all-nighters and weekends full of work and parties.

Dumping caffeine, nicotine and alcohol into an already uber-stressed student is a recipe for a catastrophic meltdown of epic proportions.

Though I do enjoy a good smoke, cocktail and grande Frappucino, I must admit that I’m curious to know if there’s a better way to cope with the pressures of being a broke, sleep-deprived, over-worked college student.

The thought of meditating for hours to reduce stress and sipping on herbal chamomile tea for a more natural energy boost is less than appealing to many, especially when the instant gratification of cigarettes and coffee do the job twice as fast.

After all, time is of the essence when you’re juggling a job, classes, a family and any extra curricular activities you happen to be involved with.

Most of the time getting the proper amount of sleep is not an option and the only way to pseudo-rejuvenate oneself is to deposit chemicals into your bloodstream.

As I spent the week in a frenzy, deadlines looming over my head and impending exams haunting my dreams, I found myself desperate to soothe the madness that plagued my existence.

All the crap I’d been ingesting was beginning to take its toll on my fragile immune system and I ended up with the worst cold and sore throat I’d had in months.

I’m sure cigarettes, coffee and alcohol aren’t what a doctor would prescribe for flu-like symptoms, but I persisted with my self-destructive habits.

A week later I was bed-ridden with the worst case of the flu I’d had in years.

My head pulsated, sending jolts of pain down my spine. I vomited almost non-stop.

Never in my adult life had I actually been so physically ill that I could not move from my bed and needless to say I got nothing accomplished and actually fell behind in my classes.

It was awful, and I blame cigarettes, coffee and alcohol.

I’m not saying don’t smoke, drink alcohol, or have that latte every morning.

By no means will I totally give up all these things, but I’m just suggesting that we, as college students, need to take better care of our bodies.

Perhaps we ought to cut down on these things rather than cut them out.

After all, I do not foresee a world where college students are completely chaste from legal addictive stimulants.

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