At 8:00 in the morning in January, Edison High students have a lot of expectations set for them, so they need to be equipped. Backpacks, jackets, hoodies, and now more than ever, bottles and cups. Almost every student has a drink in their hand, whether it be water, coffee, matcha, an energy drink, or something else entirely. But what really fuels Edison High?
Many students remain loyal to their traditional bottles, relying on water to get them through the day. Water helps many students feel “normal”: more awake, less stressed, and actually hydrated. Many students across the school can be spotted with metal water bottles from brands like Owala, Stanley, and Hydroflask. Water proves to be the most convenient option, as students don’t have to go out of their way to get it. Refill stations are abundant throughout the school, and many fill their bottles first thing in the morning. Student athletes, for instance, tend to prefer water. Water provides sufficient hydration for athletes to perform, especially during intense activities like practice or even a game. Teachers are also commonly seen with their own water bottles, making water one of the few ubiquitous drinks throughout the school.
“While playing volleyball, only water can give me the necessary hydration to keep playing, and it also prevents cramps, which is another plus,” said Aryen Ananda ‘28.
But water isn’t the only beverage that students drink. Caffeine has also become a necessity for some students, whether it be in the form of coffee or energy drinks. Students who stay up late balancing extracurricular activities, homework, and other responsibilities often don’t get enough sleep to wake up and feel alert in the morning. To avoid feeling drowsy and unfocused during classes, many students turn to caffeinated beverages before first period and beyond. Energy drinks, though not as common as the other caffeinated drinks, are still seen in EHS. Brands like Monster and Celsius provide a burst of energy to power through a school day or stay up late studying.
“Coffee helps me stay awake and focused in class after a night with less sleep. Without coffee, some days I think I might sleep through all my classes,” said Rakshit Varshney ‘29.
The rise in coffee consumption among students highlights the problem of teenagers not getting enough sleep. Using caffeine to combat situations like these, although it works, is not good for students’ health in the long run. While students like the taste and the short-term benefits these drinks provide, caffeine often leads to a crash in student productivity, leaving them either wanting more or completely fatigued for the rest of the day.
Similar to caffeine’s appeal to the student population at EHS, sweeter beverages like sodas and bubble tea are popular during the day as well, especially after school. With easy access to these beverages during lunch periods and at local stores near school, students may choose to pair a meal or a discussion with friends with a delicious sweet drink.
“Once every so often, I get a drink, typically matcha tea, from a local bubble tea shop, as it’s a convenient snack to have while catching up with friends,” said Nitin Gautham ‘27. “I’m not big on sodas, so I definitely wouldn’t have more than one can in any instance.”
Sodas, bubble tea, and other sweetened beverages can contribute to future health problems if consumed excessively. The occasional Pepsi and Snapple often don’t cause too many problems, but many of these drinks are habit, if not habit-forming. Many students rely on caffeine to function and develop an attachment to it as a result. If such sweeter drinks are consumed on a daily basis, people are more likely to get high levels of cholesterol, the risk of diabetes, and other detrimental and long-term health issues.
Although water is one of the most popular drinks seen in EHS, growing problems, like student sleep deprivation and simply the increased availability of these beverages, force students to resort to caffeinated beverages. The taste and popularity of these caffeinated liquids are consistent with those of non-caffeinated, sugary drinks. The only difference is the reliance on caffeine, which fuels addiction. Regardless, whether as simple as water or as complex as a venti frappuccino with two pumps of pumpkin spice, the variation of drinks at EHS reflects students’ adaptability, healthy or unhealthy, to the circumstances they are presented with.
