Students at Saint Ignatius have become over-dependent on caffeine. Celsius, an energy drink, has been all the rage at Saint Ignatius since the spring of 2022. Containing 200 mg of caffeine, these drinks make it possible for many students to get through the day. However, this amount of caffeine also can negatively impact students’ minds and bodies.
Penelope Seitzer, a Junior, described, “Celsius is pretty important, especially for those days that I’m running on a small amount of sleep from catching up on homework and physically cannot stay awake at school.”
In mid-September, a rumor was started that Saint Ignatius and Quest, the school’s food service, were planning to stop selling Celsius in Tully. This angered and worried many members of the Saint Ignatius student body. Countless students rely on Celsius to wake up in the morning and stay awake during their seven hours of classes and work. This rumor, however, was debunked by the Quest General Manager Erin Waugh who stated, “No, we aren’t getting rid of it.”
The popularity of Celsius on Quest shelves does not deny its possibly harmful effects. Many scientists advise against the overconsumption of caffeine. Celsius drinks contain double the amount of caffeine the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) suggests as a daily limit. The AACAP suggests “limiting caffeine to at most 100 mg (about two 12 oz cans of cola) daily for those 12-18 years old.” Drinking more than this can lead to negative physical and psychological reactions.
Some unfavorable effects of caffeine consumption include irritability, hyperactivity, anxiety, tremors, and nausea. Excessive consumption can even lead to long-term effects such as insomnia and caffeine dependency. These impacts, however, do not stop students from drinking Celsius.
Senior Timothy Walsh stated, “As someone who feels the stress of AP classes and multiple activities, it is hard for me to get even close to 8 hours of sleep each night. Celsius is the way for me to compensate for my lack of sleep to succeed as a student.”
When asked about what observations she has made regarding Celsius consumption, Social Studies teacher Ms. Haleas commented, “I’ve seen a lot of students drinking it, but I haven’t seen any adverse effects, and I certainly haven’t seen any overuse.” This observation brings to light arguments in support of Celsius. If teachers have not noticed that energy drinks cause harm to students, the adverse effects must not be as bad as they seem. This is especially because teachers observe and take notice of student behaviors all day. Also, students are not affected harshly enough to change their consumption habits in regard to high concentrations of caffeine either. If their physical and mental well-being are being dangerously impacted, students would notice and likely stop drinking Celsius.
It is important to note the positive and negative impacts that Celsius has on Saint Ignatius students. The effects Celsius has on the body and mind may vary in severity from student to student. Most students see the good in these drinks, some see the bad, and others may not see either. Whichever stance they take, Celsius seems to have embedded itself into Saint Ignatius culture and it is not going anywhere.