The Caffeine Craze

In today’s Gilman, it seems that everyone has some sort of caffeinated drink in their hand. From coffee cups to energy drinks, the substance seems to be everywhere on campus. But what percentage of Gilman students drink caffeine? What are the most popular drinks? How do students compare to Gilman faculty? And finally, are students reliant on caffeine?

Based on data collected from 82 students and faculty, 70.8% of students drink caffeine at least a few days a week, while 33.7% said they drink caffeine daily. When broken down by grade level, 61% of sophomores consume caffeine, with coffee being the most popular choice. Caffeine intake increased among upperclassmen, with 79% of juniors and 82% of seniors consuming caffeine on a regular basis, and coffee was also the most popular choice for both grades. In comparison with students, nearly 100% of faculty consume caffeine on a daily basis, with nearly all of them drinking coffee. After coffee, the second most popular beverage is Celsius, and then it is tea. When asked if they were reliant on caffeine, 87% of all respondents said no, even though, when examining the numbers, an alarming proportion of students and faculty are consuming caffeine on a regular basis. This is alarming because it may indicate that many students and faculty respondents are reliant on caffeine without realizing it. 

Mr. Jack Bowmaster ‘18, chemistry teacher and a former coffee guy who is now looking to switch to tea, reflected on student caffeine intake at Gilman, saying, “I think it has gotten to be too much, and especially too condensed, too many caffeinated beverages too close together throughout the day.” When asked about potential health issues with drinking caffeine, he answered, “I definitely don’t think it's great, especially when kids don’t drink a lot of water… they drink other sorts of drinks that can have some not so fun impacts on your kidneys.” He also briefly mentioned the impact of caffeine on sleep issues, which could explain many students' varying sleeping patterns. When asked for any final comments, Mr. Bowmaster replied, “ I think energy drinks have a time and a place, and that time shouldn’t be every day.” 

Overall, the survey results and teacher opinion show that caffeine does have a noticeable presence on campus. While many students report that they do not feel reliant on caffeine, the quantity and frequency of consumption of these drinks suggest that they do play a meaningful role in many students’ daily routines.