They say that in order to survive, you need food, water, and shelter. I think they're missing something like two important things in that statement. No, money isn't one of those two things because you can live in the wilderness and be off the grid for free. Granted, you'll be out of the loop from the rest of the world, but some people might like that life.

The two things are rest and coffee. Rest is self-explanatory because it's your body recovering and rejuvenating for the day to come. You can actually lose calories while sleeping, so instead of going to the gym, I will just take a nap. When my mom asks if I worked out, I can say yes because napping working out.

However, you need quality rest and you need a lot of that deep sleep because that's when the revitalizing and rejuvenating happens, and as someone who just has a rough time sleeping in general, that can be hard. I don't always feel super energized during the day, even after sleeping for 13+ hours (other than writing, sleeping is my favorite way to pass time). Also, sometimes you don't get enough rest to feel your best.

That's why coffee is essential to life, especially as a college student. In fact, I think it's so essential that sometimes I want an IV of coffee attached to me on some days, so I can absorb all of the caffeine. That's an exaggeration, but I really love coffee and have realized why it's so important and wonderful for survival.

College is stressful, and being stressed can disrupt your sleep, thus making you not as energized to take on the day entirely. Coffee is a way to supplement and provide that boost of energy that you need to either kick start your day or give you that extra boost in the middle of the day when your energy is low.

I want to explain my story with coffee because it's a story that really explains the beauty of coffee and how it helps so many people get through their days. Also, it has a semi-unique start.

I started drinking coffee in September of my senior year of high school (about 2 years ago). It all started when I realized that for some reason my body would want to take a nap at around 11am-1 pm, and at that time I had two important classes that I could not fall asleep in. I tried doing the 9 hours of sleep thing, but that became really unrealistic because I was in courses with a lot of work and I had a part-time job, while applying to colleges.

While trying to do all of that, I still had a social life to sort of maintain and sleep was the thing that suffered, which is never a good idea for many reasons. I didn't want to resort to coffee right away because I thought I never liked the taste of coffee. However, one day in math class changed my whole perspective.

One day in math, my math teacher was doing the homework check and one kid asked what the flavor of her coffee, and they guessed that it was French Vanilla. It turned out to be Hazelnut. As my math teacher passed by me to see if I did my homework (I did, I am a good student), the aroma of the coffee reached into my nose and it smelt really good.

This began me wondering about the taste of coffee, if it would taste as good as it smelt. After thinking about it, and contemplating it, I decided on a Friday to go to the Dunkin' Donuts that was on my way to school and try my first coffee. I got a large French vanilla coffee, and it was pretty good.

I felt rejuvenated, and I stayed wide awake between those classes (I never fell asleep, but I would be rather groggy during them). Also, the coffee wasn't that bad. Then my friend suggested getting the iced hazelnut coffee from the local bagel shop because it tasted like Nutella.

I got it, and this began my love for coffee. Ever since then, I drink a cup a day and it makes all the difference in my day. It keeps me awake, alert, and I feel so happy while drinking it.

There have been times where my dog has woken me at 4 am because of a thunderstorm, and I would have a really busy and amazing day ahead of me that I needed to be energized and alert for. I would drink a cup of coffee before embarking on that day, and I did not feel exhausted until I got home and sat on my couch. That's amazing because I only had four hours of sleep the night before.

Coffee is amazing for that reason, and it gives you that second wind. That second wind to take on the day and put your full effort towards. I love coffee so much.

However, drink coffee with caution! It can stunt growth and possibly increase the risk of heart disease. Do not drink coffee while pregnant because it can be bad for the baby!