Everyone has some sort of thing they are attached to, something that they cannot live without. For me, it is energy drinks; to some, it may seem like an addiction, but to me, it is a lifestyle.

The act of cracking open a Celsius in the morning in my first-period class soothes me and releases the dopamine I need to function. It has become a tradition for me to grab a Celsius from my fridge on the first day of the week and bring it to school. 

I have friends who also enjoy their energy drinks and it has become a habit for us to get our caffeine fix from these cans. 

I also drink coffee to limit the amount of caffeine I normally consume from a Celsius, because I am aware of the negative side effects of 200mg of caffeine. I do notice the jittery feelings I get towards the end of the day, but I just use those nerves to fuel the energy I need to participate in soccer. 

As a student-athlete my days consist of waking up, going to school, going to soccer practice, coming home from practice, doing my homework, and then if I’m lucky I get at least 8 hours of sleep. This schedule happens every day of the week and always leaves me drained and exhausted.

The idea that teenagers need to have around nine to ten hours of sleep is impossible for someone like me and other student-athletes as well. The only way I can get through my classes and the school week is with a little boost of caffeine one or two days out of the week. 

I have become used to the feeling of waking up in the morning and going through the motions of the school day because of how tired I am. It negatively impacts my emotions, how I interact with people, and the drive I have to do my schoolwork. 

Even in the beginning weeks of the school year the exhaustion has already set in and I’m not looking forward to what the rest of the school year has to hold; but the energy drinks I consume help make that future just a little bit brighter. 

Once soccer season dies down I believe I will start to consume less caffeine and my sleep schedule will go back to normal, but for now I will deal with the consequences of my actions and enjoy my wild-berry flavored Celsius that I drink every so often.