Let’s face it: teenagers have become dependent on caffeinated energy drinks. We need them to wake up at five in the morning or make it to our after-school activities and clubs or just get through our days. I’m not saying this is healthy, but it’s what happens.
The most popular drinks that crowd the corner of desks are Celsius, Monster, Alanis, and Aroma Joe’s Rushes.
But which one deserves all the hype?
If you’re looking for something that you can take on the go, you may look for skinnier cans, or even caffeinated pouches of your favorite drinks. Personally, I think you can never go wrong with throwing a Celsius in the side of your bag and calling it a good day.
But what do other Lancers drink to get their energy?
Sophomore Katelin Blomgren will never be caught in the morning without her favorite sight in the morning: her Monster “Zero Ultra” that helps her get through her days.
“I usually have one with me every day during A period,” Blomgren said. “It helps me stay awake, especially when I don’t get the most sleep.”
Unlike other energy drinks, Blomgren notices that Monsters keep her awake so she doesn’t “slack off in any way shape or form.”
“Even if I haven’t drunk all of it, it still helps me stay awake in class, so I don’t doze off and miss something,” Blomgren said.
Blomgren prefers Monster because they keep her awake.
“Some of the others aren’t as good at keeping me awake,” Blomgren said. “I would have to chug another one, which isn’t the healthiest.”
Blomgren also sticks with Monsters because she is “always spilling stuff,” Blomgren said, and the lid helps keep the drink in the can.
All of this aside, Blomgren stays loyal to her Monsters because it’s her “go-to.”
“They’re what I have been having for a while,” Blomgren said.
When it comes to picking favorites, sophomore Leah Doherty has no trouble at all. Doherty always finds herself sipping on her Celcius energy drinks before her big meets, practices, and especially after getting up early in school and relying on it to be productive in class.
“I drink Celcius on a daily basis,” Doherty said, “it’s how I stay awake through school.”
Even though energy drinks keep Doherty on her feet during school, they also benefit her during after-school activities.
“Celcius helps me get through school, helps me get through my work, helps me stay focused, and helps me keep swimming, even though I’m really tired,” Doherty said.
Doherty has tried other energy drinks but continues to stick with Celcius because they have the best effects.
“It gives you all the energy you need without giving you anxiety,” Doherty said. “The other ones are very short-term effective and this is the only kind that keeps me awake.”
On the other hand, we don’t always have to be at the grocery store to buy our favorite energy drinks, and sometimes certain people prefer buying already-made drinks. It’s such a popular thing that sometimes during open campus periods, you see upperclassmen running back with Rushes for themselves and their friends. Especially in L-Town, we hear a lot about people going to Dunkin, Starbucks for an eight-dollar drink, or the fan favorite, Aroma Joes.
Junior Reya Rivera stays true to the “watermelon sugar” rush. It’s watermelon, kiwi, and vanilla flavored.
“The first Rush I had was kind of like a smack in the face, especially if you don’t really drink that much caffeine,” Rivera said, “but the more you drink it the more you get used to it.”
As Rivera tries more flavors, she always finds herself running back for more.
“I wouldn’t call it an addiction,” Rivera said. “I’d say it’s a healthy necessity.”
Rivera expresses how Rushes are the best source of energy drinks due to the customizations you can add to your drinks.
“You can get them in any flavor, and they are customizable with flavors and sizes which depend on how much caffeine you want,” Rivera said.
Of course, for a teenager in high school, students often have a ton of weight on their shoulders with things outside of their academics. Being someone who knows what it is like to not have the best sleep schedule, the feeling of being dependent on energy drinks can be such a big thing for people, especially if they don’t know the next time they will be getting a beneficial rest.
“They used to make me shaky, but now I get the energy, and I have no negative effects,” Rivera said. “It keeps me awake, which is great because I do sleep a lot.”
Senior Bridget Berry has become reliant on the fan-favorite Alani Nu energy drinks, yet she said she could always “fly” the other way with her Red Bulls.
Waking up for school and having to attend rehearsals after school can be a lot for Berry. Sometimes the only thing that keeps her going is the trip to go pick up more Red Bulls at her favorite spot, Target.
“I restock at least once a week,” Berry said. “Whenever I start to run out, I go and get more.
For something like Red Bull that comes in four packs, she said she usually buys those “once a week.” She hasn’t always loved Red Bull as much as she does now though.
“I love a good Alani but I’ve been a recent Red Bull convert,” Berry said. “My least favorite is Celsius. The crash for me is so bad especially if I don’t hydrate enough.”
Why does Berry prefer Red Bull?
“Because it tastes similar to a Rush from Aroma, minus the extra flavor,” Berry said.
Berry said she understands that it isn’t “the healthiest thing,” but when it comes to caffeine, it can become something you are dependent upon.
“It gets difficult to get energy without them,” Berry said.
Berry isn’t necessarily dependent on the caffeine itself, yet it has just become more of a routine.
“As a second-semester senior, it’s often already hard to find motivation,” Berry said. “Having an energy drink makes it easier.”
As students take on long days of school, hours of homework and all the weight on their shoulders that are outside what the school sees, many become beneficial on caffeine to keep them going, but sometimes it all comes down to which energy drink.
Which energy drink do you prefer?
