Tehya Is Tired… of Heavy Caffeine Intake
Tehya is tired… of heavy caffeine intake
written by tehya tenasco
I have never been one to take the concept of New Year's resolutions seriously. I think it's redundant to commit yourself to a goal amidst the dead of winter, when the Earth is still dormant and won’t wake for a few more months. However, this year I have indirectly committed myself to a resolution: drinking less caffeine.
I’m a native New Englander, Dunkin might as well be the sixth food group. How could I ever give up my medium iced coffee with mocha swirl and two creams? Well, I started by going cold turkey. No iced coffees in the morning, no matter how badly my bones craved the stimulant swirled with chocolate.
Caffeine is the lifeline for many college students. For instance, my hometown friend can’t go a single day without at least two large iced coffees. It wasn't until I quit ingesting caffeine all together that I realized how harmful it was to my body and mind. Throbbing headaches, like needles pricking my temples, permeated the brain fog clouding my judgements, emotional management, and daily routine. Cold turkey was not going to work.
Over winter break, I turned to the tea cabinet in my kitchen. Red Rose, Sleepytime, and Lemon Ginger were just some of the flavors littering the shelves. Soon enough, it was Lemon Ginger in place of an iced medium for the morning, and a classic green tea at night to sooth my stomach. Sitting in my childhood room, sipping herbal tea with honey, I realized that I was putting my body under more pressure than I needed to. When did I become hell-bent on burning at both ends?
Back on campus, I had an itch to scratch. The spring semester workload started to pile up, and I reached for the dreaded cold brew; a highly caffeinated beverage territory I don’t usually tread. I was especially exhausted, stayed up late procrastinating work, and now I was paying for it.
Not just heart burn, but flares. The cup was only half empty and my chest was already aching with the excessive pumps of the muscle. For a moment, I grew fearful my heart would explode out onto Boylston Street. I haven’t had a cold brew in weeks, and honestly, I don’t care to have one ever again.
Extreme caffeine intake is tired. I’ve made the switch to English breakfast tea with milk in the mornings for as needed caffeine boosts, and herbal teas like peppermint and chamomile at nights to wind down. I’m less run-down, anxious, and I feel mentally prepared to handle the trials and tribulations of a single day of college. Tea tins are also fun to collect, especially the themed colors and swirly designs on Harney & Sons tea flavors. My girlfriend recently bought me a new English breakfast tea graced by Princess Diana’s face in a lavender backdrop.
GuaranTEA-D to Warm Winter Woes
Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice
Trader Joe's Winter Wake Up Tea
Peach Mango Herbal Tea