The Addiction Series: Caffeine

This story marks the beginning of a series of different addictions that highschoolers have in their life.

Methylxanthine. 85 percent of you drink it every day.

But what is it?

Caffeine: the most widely used, physically addictive drug.

Every piece of chocolate that’s inhaled through the mouth of kids.

Every can of Pepsi or Monster that’s opened up at a sporting event.

Every Nonfat Soy Caramel Frappucino with whip cream and an extra pump of chocolate that teachers buy at Starbucks and bring to school.

All have caffeine.

“I started drinking it when I became a teacher,” said teacher Holly Astheimer, a well-known coffee addict from Penn Manor, “One cup in the morning and one cup in the evening.”

According to Brynmawr University, nearly 80 percent of Americans rely on caffeine each morning in order to get them started.

In fact, more than 450,000,000 cups of coffee alone are consumed every day in the United States.

Students and Teachers at Penn Manor appear to be addicted to caffeine. Photo by Mike Nitroy

About half of them seem to be at Penn Manor.

“I started drinking [coffee] in middle school. I drink one cup every morning. If I don’t, I get a headache because I’m so used to it,” said senior Kaity Deisley.

“I’m not as alert and I’m off my game all day [if I don’t drink coffee],” said Astheimer.

Caffeine is also popular with high school and college students who are forced to pull all-nighters to study or prepare for tests.

“I drink coffee every day, sometimes multiple times a day,” said senior Shannon Nitroy, “I have [gone a day without before] because I try not to get dependent on it.”

And sometimes, drinking it for other reasons.

“I like drinking it because it tastes good, and then I feel good,” said Nitroy.

So how hard is it to break a caffeine addiction?

After asking both Astheimer and Deisley to go a day without coffee, the results were bleak.

Both failed.

“I couldn’t do it. I failed at my task. I figured I was setting myself and my students up for a bad day,” said Astheimer, while holding her coffee mug.

This isn’t shocking, as Astheimer begged to not participate in the test when approached.

Deisley wasn’t much more successful.

“I’m sorry, it’s a habit. I wake up and think ‘I need coffee’. I need caffeine!” said Deisley.

The results show that the addiction to caffeine is stronger than some think.

So go ahead, stop reading and make your coffee.

By Lindsey Ostrum and Mike Nitroy

See related article:
Hooked On The Hot Stuff

7 thoughts on “The Addiction Series: Caffeine”

  1. Thank you for exposing my flaws, Mike and Lindsey;) I thought I did that well enough on my own, but now everyone knows my true secret for being so energetic. Just kidding. Seriously, though, there are few things better than a caramel macchiato!

  2. “In fact, more than 450,000,000 cups of coffee alone are consumed every day in the United States.

    About half of them seem to be at Penn Manor.”

    Excuse me, but I do not think that 225,000,000 cups of coffee could possibly be consumed at Penn Manor in a single day.

  3. Well, I too am a coffee addict and personally feel a Starbucks should be placed at the high school. If drinking a caramel macchiato improves teacher and student performance, let’s go for it!

  4. we should really have a starbucks in here im sure they’d make money off it and possibly see a increase in grades because students will be more awake. It’d also be really satisfying 🙂

  5. This weekend I decided to start drinking coffee more frequently… I”M JOINING THE RANKS OF COFFEE ADDICTS!

  6. @Gargoyle-if you notice it says SEEMS to be at Penn Manor
    there’s no way 225 million cups are consumed here every single day

  7. its a good thing they dont use the scientific name for it on soda bottles because alot of people wouldnt drink it anymore… Methylxanthine…

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