Sandra Benny, 21, first moved to the U.S. in 2011 so that she could attend college at the University of Oregon. Traveling all the way from Singapore, it’s no surprise Benny had a little bit of culture shock after the move. Many things changed for her like her sleeping patterns and work-load; however, one thing that remains constant in her college life is her need for coffee.

Benny is addicted to coffee, but she hasn’t always been this way. She hardly drank coffee at all before moving to the U.S. three years ago. Her non-coffee drinking days were before she had college papers and final projects.

College students around the nation are beginning to grow more in tune with U.S. coffee culture. In the U.S. alone, around 400 million cups of coffee are consumed every day and the American Psychiatric Association now lists caffeine addiction as an actual diagnosis.[i] Recent reports have attempted to pinpoint exactly how caffeine addiction is directly affecting college students, especially freshman.

“I was living in the dorms and it was cheap and readily available,” Benny said. Coffee is everywhere and it’s a staple for many college students. It’s known to be a study companion and to assist attentiveness in class.

The demand for success from college students while being incredibly overwhelmed with schoolwork is a suspected influence of excessive coffee drinking. How else might a student pull an infamous all-nighter if he or she is falling asleep? Caffeine can be used as a perceived tool for success.  Students at the collegiate level are statistically becoming more interested in coffee and caffeine as a norm—students like Benny.

“I heard about how caffeine isn’t the best and that I shouldn’t start drinking it at a young age,” Benny said. Yet, Benny’s understanding of the seemingly harmless black drink doesn’t seem to stop her from the substantial consumption she achieves every day. Students questioned Benny’s coffee drinking habits when she first arrived in the U.S. and moved into the dorms. She wasn’t entirely sure what all the fuss was about, but she started drinking a cup a few times a week.

Midterms came around and Benny became a night owl studying into the early morning. Coffee became more of a necessity than a tasteful pleasure; she upped her “dosage” to two cups per day.

The same goes for Ashley Burke, 22, another student at the University of Oregon. Burke relies on the energy she gets from the caffeine in her daily cup-of-Joe. She drinks coffee every morning, but she ups her dosage when college life seemingly requires her to do so. “If I have to get up early, or if I have a test— that’s when I drink it. It’s just because of school,” Ashley said.

Burke admits to having drunk around 10 or 12 cups of coffee in one day. She’s actually done this a few times, however, she is quick to point out that this is a “once a term thing.”

“Addiction” is a powerful word, but according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, addiction is defined as, “a strong and harmful need to regularly have something or do something.”[ii] Ignoring the need for caffeine can result in withdrawal.  Avid coffee-drinkers like Benny and Burke have both experienced withdrawal at some time or other.

Burke skipped coffee one morning on accident and she experienced drowsiness alongside a terrible headache.

Benny tried to quit coffee cold turkey and she faced a full body shutdown: fatigue and moodiness.

In the nationally recognized Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM5), symptoms of withdrawal are listed to assist diagnosis and several of the symptoms directly relate to the experiences of Burke and Benny.[iii] One criteria states that addiction occurs when “taking the substance in larger amounts or for longer than you meant to.” As Burke explained previously, she tries not to overload herself with caffeine, but she also knows when she must use coffee as a tool to keep herself awake for studying and class.

College students like Benny and Burke continue to consume coffee on a daily basis and feed their caffeine addictions in order to maintain physical and mental stability—a must for any successful college student.

Substance abuse and mental health therapist Leah Chapman explains that caffeine addiction is very much real. Although Chapman primarily works with patients experiencing different variations of drug addiction, she points out that one can be addicted to almost anything. “Addiction is a medical definition and that’s a chronic progressive disorder,” Chapman said.

More specifically, to better explain caffeine addiction, Chapman explains the effects caffeine has on the brain.

“Caffeine effects the dopamine and serotonin in our brains which is a chemical effect to make us happy,” Chapman said. Sugar intake along with caffeine can add to the effect on the brain’s chemicals, causing a craving. These cravings are what cause addiction to caffeine in coffee. These cravings make Benny and Burke reliant on the chemical effects.

While caffeine is an addictive substance, it’s definitely not the same as hard drugs or alcohol. In the DSM5, caffeine addiction is the only substance that is not diagnosed as a substance abuse disorder—it’s only recognized as an addiction.

Chapman has seen every addiction from heroine to methamphetamine and very often, these abusers are known to be polysubstance abusers, meaning that they are addicted to more than one substance.

Caffeine addicts may enjoy other addictions, but it’s likely these are less offensive than hard drugs.

“You physically and psychologically can be addicted [to caffeine], but the consequences are significantly less than drugs or alcohol,” Chapman said.

On the other hand, in support of the fact that caffeine is an addictive substance, inpatient treatment for drug abusers requires that patients be detoxed from all caffeine and nicotine. Cigarettes and coffee can pose as substitutes for intense addictions, making the detox process even harder to recover from.

Overall though, caffeine is a much lesser offense. In fact, Chapman notes that caffeine will not kill you, but drugs and alcohol will.

Regarding caffeine consumption, Chapman said, “You won’t go to prison trying to support the habit.”

But the withdrawal symptoms are still there, making caffeine addiction a real issue, especially amongst those in college where overwhelming access to coffee is reality.

At the University of Oregon, coffee shops like Starbucks and Café Roma line nearby streets. It’s no secret that students like Benny and Burke are immersed in a coffee culture.

Yet, contrary to the growing trend, not all college students are obsessed with the nature of caffeine. Another international student, Awab Al-Rawe, is sure that he is better off without coffee or anything addictive for that matter. Regarding coffee consumption, Awab said, “I want to be in full control of my body for energy and concentration.

Awab doesn’t believe in artificially producing energy.  He makes clear that he understands the negative effects of coffee addiction.

“Some days pass when I get about zero to five hours of sleep and I can still function well.  I tried both tea and coffee before and I liked them but I can do without them alright,” Awab said.

So why start a coffee drinking habit and then suffer from the consequences of withdrawal?

That’s just it—Burke and Benny don’t consider what it’s like to not have coffee anymore. Coffee is a daily embellishment. As long as the coffee continues, there is no withdrawal. Problems only arise when the coffee stops and this is not often for Burke and Benny.

“It doesn’t make me wired; it just makes me feel better,” Burke said. Clearly, Burke doesn’t see the negative side of maintaining a life of coffee.

But whether or not coffee is used to stay awake in class, one thing is certain: it’s addictive. Regardless of why one drinks coffee, those who drink it regularly need it regularly.

“I have gone without it, but I haven’t wanted to,” Burke said. And that’s just it, she doesn’t want to.

I was nervous at the start of Reporting II. I began to question the work load, but I also worried that I would be doing the same assignments as I did in Reporting I. I was wrong.

Reporting II has challenged me to focus intently and diligently on one particular topic. I’ve practiced realistic journalism skills that will follow me through my professional career, regardless of subject. I have also learned a great deal about interviewing, something that I felt fairly confident about before this course, but then realized I had much to learn.

I have listed my three takeaways below.

Continue reading →

 

University of Oregon junior Sandra Benny, 21, begins her morning with a hearty breakfast and a cup of coffee. She attends her first class around 9:00a.m. and by 1:00pm she is downing her second cup of coffee with her lunch. By 5:00pm Benny determines if she needs her third cup of coffee. The third cup occurs solely if Benny feels drained and tired—she knows this third cup might be a necessary one.

College students around the nation are beginning to grow more in tune with U.S. coffee culture. In the U.S. alone, around 400 million cups of coffee are consumed every day and the American Psychiatric Association now lists caffeine addiction as an actual diagnosis. Recent reports have attempted to pinpoint exactly how caffeine addiction is directly affecting college students.

The demand for success from college students while being incredibly overwhelmed with schoolwork is a suspected influence of excessive coffee drinking. How else might a student pull an infamous all-nighter if he or she is falling asleep? Caffeine can be used as a perceived tool for success. Students at the collegiate level are statistically becoming more interested in coffee and caffeine as a norm—students like Benny.

Benny sits calmly with me during our interview and her demeanor is quite relaxed. She has short dark brown hair and a sweet smile. She doesn’t appear to be someone with an addiction.

As I ask Benny more coffee related questions, she answers honestly and confidently. Occasionally she looks to her phone. “I’m sorry. I’m really bad at multitasking,” she says as she responds to a text message.

Benny is a member of the International Student Association, a security assistant for the university police department, a member of the FHS student advisory board, and she also participates in an internship through the Oregon Youth Authority. Needless to say, Benny is a busy girl, but she seems to have everything under control. Perhaps it’s the coffee that keeps her sane.

“I heard about how caffeine isn’t the best and that I shouldn’t start drinking it at a young age,” Benny said.

Yet, as a college junior, she sits every morning contently consuming the black liquid encased by her favorite Starbucks tumbler.

Benny is not originally from the U.S. In fact, Benny’s home is in Singapore and she identifies as an international student. She hardly drank coffee at all before moving to the U.S. three years ago. Benny recalls that many American students questioned her about her coffee drinking habits once she moved into the dorms for her freshman year. She wasn’t entirely sure what all the fuss was about, but she started drinking a cup a few times a week.

“I was living in the dorms and it was cheap and readily available,” she recalls.

The coffee drinking began with little to no effect, but then, like any addiction, Benny slowly began to crave the effects of caffeine. Midterms came around and she became a night owl studying into the early morning. Coffee became more of a necessity than a tasteful pleasure; she upped her “dosage” to two cups per day.

The effects of caffeine can have some positive outcomes too. The American Journal of Health Education confirms alertness, increased awareness while driving, and cognitive vigilance are among the effects of moderate caffeine consumption.

“The most I’ve ever drank was four cups, but I was over my limit and I started shaking,” Benny said. Apparently there is such a thing as too much coffee. Benny knows she must balance her intake carefully. Even some addicts have their own definition of moderation.

The American Psychiatric Association defines addiction as “a chronic brain disease that causes compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences.” This definition helps to explain what happened to Benny when she quit drinking coffee cold turkey one day.

“I was super moody and it was not the best feeling,” she said.

Benny toughed through an afternoon without any coffee and her roommate was quick to sense a difference in her behavior. Benny’s roommate asked her if she had consumed her daily cup of coffee. It’s clear that Benny isn’t the only one to recognize when she hasn’t had her daily stimulant, and since that day, Benny has not gone 24 hours without coffee.

I can see in her face that she isn’t concerned with her addicted reality. Benny explains to me how her body reacts to a lack of caffeine: fatigued as she feels like physically crashing. She is not a fan of what professionals would refer to as “withdrawal symptoms.”

Yet, contrary to the growing trend, not all college students are obsessed with the nature of caffeine. Another international student, Awab Al-Rawe, is sure that he is better off without coffee or anything addictive for that matter.

Regarding coffee consumption, Awab said, “I want to be in full control of my body for energy and concentration.” Awab doesn’t believe in artificially producing energy. He makes clear that he understands the negative effects of coffee addiction.

“Some days pass when I get about zero to five hours of sleep and I can still function well. I tried both tea and coffee before and I liked them but I can do without them alright,” Awab said.

The larger question remains: Is caffeine addiction in college students a real problem? The combination of late night studying and large doses of caffeine suggests so. It’s also true that drinking coffee every day is a lifestyle choice. Benny makes sure to point out this reality. She frequents local coffee shops around Eugene in search of rich quality brews.

“Vero on 14th is so nice and quaint,” gushes Benny. She knows all the best spots in town and I think it’s safe to say that I trust her judgment.

 

 

Lead: Explaining the typical coffee consumption and a specific time when she drank excessive amounts of coffee to stay awake for studying.

Nutgraf: Talk about the national consumption rate of coffee drinking (roughly 80% of adults). Discuss the growing trend of coffee shops on campuses and how students are becoming more and more familiar with drinking excessive amounts of coffee. The trend is evident from studies in college freshmen.

Transition: A quote from my subject about when she first realize she drank a lot of coffee.

Physical Description: Her hair, manor, the way she speaks, and what she’s wearing.

Body: Express the consumption here. How she began drinking coffee. What she loves about it. Has she had withdrawals?

Second Source: Someone that deals with addiction. Compare addiction to drug related use.

Anecdote or story: Begin to describe a new instance with coffee drinking.

Ender: When is the next time you’ll drink coffee?

Her light brown hair is causally pulled back in a pony-tale as it is most days and she tilts her head back as she casually laughs and then subtly agrees with me. I find solace in her agreeing because she poses a natural comfort in the way she listens. Her long torso is regularly outfitted in a rodeo t-shirt. The t-shirt compliments her jeweled MissMe jeans, which reflect the sparkle of her personality, but contradict the boyish nature of her often “who cares” attitude.  In her eyes she draws you in with her excitement and positive energy. Just by looking at her full of hope green-blue eyes, you can tell she’s a dreamer, not a sleeper. Her heart is lost somewhere at the rodeo.

Imagine that both of your wrists are broken. You have to write carefully and concisely with a molded casting on your right hand. When you shower, you have to cover your casts with a plastic bag and rubber bands. You feel somewhat paralyzed by this foreign disability. Your hands once fostered day-to-day tasks and now you have been robbed of this tool.

This scenario was an awkward reality for then high school student Robby Davis. Robby broke his left wrist when he was undercut at soccer tryouts, then a few weeks later, he was playing in a game and his other wrist was kicked and subsequently broken too. Robby’s days became struggle filled; his challenges involved regular activities that now were tedious tasks. He recalls when a young woman opened the door for him at school—a time that reflected the outward struggle of identify as a strong and masculine athlete.

Robby has always had a generally easy time with school and friends. In fact, he has had the same core of seven friends since he was about six years old. His tight knit group has always been close—the group remains close today.

“It’s nice to be able to talk to them and talk about things we’re dealing with,” Robby said of the longtime friend group.

Robby recognizes that his core group of friends is rare because not everyone can attest to having such prized companionships. When both of Robby’s wrists were broken, Robby found that his relationships were especially strengthened. He knew that he always had someone to go to.

When Robby broke his wrists, he felt as though he had been stripped of some of his masculinity. He had to accept help, which was difficult for someone who had always been strong enough to help himself. Robby felt as though he was weak in some ways and he struggled physically and mentally from this.

A strong willed Christian, Robby has always valued community to a certain extent. Yet, after reevaluating what it meant to be a man, Robby learned to appreciate his Christian beliefs even more than before. He began to care less about what it meant to be a masculine male and more of what it meant to be a team player and part of a community.

Robby’s religion has was and has been a huge strength for him. During the time of his broken wrists, Robby found himself sitting in the waiting room at Slocum. He soon found himself reading an article on Lamarcus Aldridge, a basketball player for the Blazers. Aldrige quoted a verse from the bible that read:

 

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded

Luke 12:48

Like a memorable movie quote, this message stuck with Robby long after his Slocum visit. In fact, the message was so meaningful, that he eventually got the verse tattooed on his right arm.

Through Robby’s athletic injuries, he has found much to be thankful for. He has found strength in all of his support systems: friends, family, and faith.

It’s no secret that coffee is a growing trend and that many coffee-drinking college students are utilizing the effects of caffeine diligently.  The effects of caffeine can be invigorating and useful, especially when it comes to studying and cramming for finals. The question is: are college students becoming dependent users of the caffeine in coffee that causes addiction?  For this research project, I am investigating stakeholders that share a relevant perspective on the matter, or are affected by the issue/topic in some way.

College coffee-drinkers are a prime part of this research paper, as the topic is focused around this group identity. For this research project, I have spoke with multiple students that drink coffee regularly. To create a plethora of diverse information, I chose to gather college aged coffee drinkers with different coffee drinking habits. For instance, one of my interviewees, UO sophomore Claire Rischiotto*, only drinks coffee about once a week when she feels she needs energy. Jason Ibrao, a senior at UO, drinks coffee every morning and he drinks multiple cups of coffee a day. It’s safe to say that students drinking coffee are the prime stakeholders in my project.

Another alternative source that will provide input to college drinking specifically in college life is Michael Schumacher. Michael graduated from UO nearly one year ago and, since graduating, has worked at Spring Capital Group in Eugene, Oregon. I want to speak with Michael about his coffee drinking habits during and after college. What is the difference, if any? Michael’s habits will be incredibly useful for compiling information and testimony.

The people surrounding a college student addicted to coffee are stakeholders as well. If a college student is addicted to caffeine and shows negative physical signs of addiction, some of those signs may be stronger and will affect family or friends more negatively. Even the mere thought of someone being grouchy or rude before he/she has a morning cup of coffee can be reason enough to involve those surrounded. Knowing how parents or roommates feel about a coffee addict in their lives can be stressful.

I am also interested in students that do not drink coffee. In order to better understand the reasons around the college coffee-drinking culture, I will be interviewing Awab Alrawe, a senior at UO. Awab points out that he can drink coffee, but he personally chooses not to. Awab prefers to live his college life without addiction to anything. I believe it’s important to research both sides of the college coffee-drinking spectrum.

I would consider medical professionals to be stakeholders for my issue. Doctors are consistently researching and studying the effects of drugs on the brain. Caffeine is a drug that has an effect on those who drink coffee. What is the harm in drinking multiple cups a day? Medical professionals are consistently researching, like Dr. Simmons*. Dr. Simmons is a regular guest on Doc Talk at KUGN radio and he consistently speaks to how we should treat medicines and our bodies. He can speak to the nature of caffeine and his profession allows him to inform the public on factual medical information. Along with Dr. Simmons, national organizations like the American Psychiatric Association has declared coffee addiction an actual mental health disorder. These types of medical organizations are stakeholders as well because they are aware of the growing issue.

Addiction counselors and those involved in providing therapy for addicts are stakeholders for my issue. Leah Chapman* from Emergence Addiction and Behavior Therapies is a counselor that aids those addicted to nearly anything. Caffeine can aid addiction to coffee for some individuals. Having addiction counselors is necessary to understand how to deal with the cause and effect of addiction.

As I continue to research and develop a better of idea of the importance and necessity college students place on coffee, I am continually more interested in the topic. I hope that you find my stakeholders list relevant, and I plan to compile these interest leads to help better explore the issue of coffee addiction in college students for my final research paper.

Imagine attending high school with not one, but two broken wrists. Now imagine trying to shower, brush your teeth, or write papers. This inconvenient scenario was reality for former high school student Robby Davis.

Robby has always loved sports– he knows professional players and stats and he also plays sports himself. Through athleticism, Robby has grown a better understanding of who he is and how he identifies as a male. Yet, when Robby broke both of his wrists in high school, he soon realized that he couldn’t do the things he once did. Sure, this disability was only temporary; however, the crippling reality set this high schooler back to an elementary understanding of ableism and masculinity.

Robby soon realized that his temporary five week disability was frustrating, but also life changing. He felt as though he had been robbed of some of his masculinity. People often held the door open for him and he received a lot of assistance doing various other everyday tasks. Prior to his broken wrists, Robby has always taken advantage of the ease he had in his life. School came easy and he was also good a sports. Now, everything in Robby’s life came as a struggle. His casts were even molded so that he could hold a pencil to write, but this still proved difficult.

Masculinity is defined so boldly in today’s society. Men are tough and men are expected to be independent. Robby found himself feeling more helpless and dependent with two broken wrists. For the first time in his teen life, he had to depend on other people to physically get him through the day. Robby had to learn to accept help that he hadn’t considered accepting before.; he hadn’t needed the help before.

A strong willed Christian, Robby has always valued community to a certain extent. Yet, after reevaluating what it meant to be a man, Robby learned to appreciate his Christian beliefs even more than before. He began to care less about what it meant to be a masculine male and more of what it meant to be a team player and part of a community. The divide between people isn’t that large and Robby acknowledges that one of his favorite parts of college is living in the Onyx house.

At one point during his rehab, Robby found himself sitting in the waiting room at Slocum in Eugene. He read an article on one of his favorite athletes with a quote that read:

From everyone who’s given much, much will be demanded.

This quote soon became Robby’s personal mantra. Because of the ease he experienced before, Robby found himself trying harder. He wanted to be better than he had been before and his broken wrists helped him realize this.

Broken wrists or not, Robby Davis is a team player. Over the five weeks he spent with a broken wrist, Robby not only learned to overcome his struggles, he also learned what being a man is really about: community.

 

 

 

 

Dear Dr. Simmons,

I was recently reminiscing on my job shadow with Storm Kennedy at KUGN last summer.  I had such a wonderful experience sitting in on “Doc Talk” with you and Storm. Your wealth of medicinal knowledge and conversational speaking skills made it easy for me to understand otherwise detailed medical concepts.  I am hoping that I may return one day to the KUGN office for another shadow of this nature.

I have continued to grow scholastically since we last spoke and I am now a senior in the journalism school at the University of Oregon. Currently, I am working on research for my Reporting 2 class. My project is focused on the effect of coffee drinking in college students. More specifically, for a portion of my research, I want to tackle the logistics of what caffeine does to one’s body. How does caffeine react and specifically what is happening during this caffeine stimulation?

I would be thrilled to interview you regarding caffeine and its effects on the body.  Since you have so much experience answering medical questions on KUGN, I figured you would be the perfect expert to speak with.

I would be more than happy to meet at your convenience for an interview regarding my topic. Tuesdays and Thursdays after 2pm tend to work best for me; however, I am flexible and can work around your schedule!

Best,

Jaclyn Umenhofer