I'm going to tell you a secret, I'm a coffee addict and I'm not ashamed. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and the first thing I think about is pouring that hot cup of coffee down my throat, and sometimes I go to bed wondering if I could have fit just one more cup of coffee in. Sure, I could start my day without coffee, but I probably wouldn't remember to put on pants, let alone go to work. There are probable a million habits of coffee addicts and highly caffeinated people but here are the seven that we go through each and every day.

1. We need coffee to start our day.

It doesn't matter if we slept ten hours or four hours the night before. We need coffee to feel like functioning human beings. This first cup of coffee will probably get you through the first few hours of the morning without acting like a zombie. And... if we don't get that first cup, I can pretty much guarantee that you will not want to speak to us.

2. Coffee addicts are not to be confused with coffee snobs.

We are pretty much under the impression that all coffee is created equally as long as it contains caffeine. Sure we have our preferences, don't serve us brown water and call it coffee but also don't serve us brown sludge and do the same. We have standards, but give us coffee form the pot, shots of expresso, lattes, and macchiato's and I guarantee you will become our best friend.

3. We set up our monthly budget to allow for our coffee addiction.

I know coffee is expensive, but therapy is much more. Stop making me feel bad for spending $5 on a latte when you'll buy an $11 beer. We all have our vices that make us happy. And mine is just acceptable to drink at any hour of the day.

4. Please stop telling us to quit drinking so much coffee.

I promise you that if a highly caffeinated person quits coffee or skips a cup during the day- they are not to be messed with. If they decide to quit coffee they will have a killer headache for days, walk around like a zombie, and overall just be no fun to be around... so think twice before you tell us that "we should probably stop drinking so much coffee."

5. The mid-afternoon lull is real.

We are completely exhausted by three in the afternoon, and it feels like nothing can help me get to the end of the day. And then I drink a wondrous potion of magic beans and suddenly I am brought back to life. I am ready to survive the afternoon and can function almost normally after that afternoon cup.

6. Must find coffee first!

Any place we go whether we are on vacation in Mexico or just at the University. The first thing we do is scope out the nearest coffee venue. When we find one we love, we become loyal. The local Starbucks is my bestfriend. When I'm in a bind, or need a quick fix, I can walk in and see happy smiling faces who know my name. They know how I like my coffee and genuinely care how my day is going.

7. I can promise you that we never say no to coffee.

And if we do there is probably something seriously wrong with us. Our favorite thing to do is go out to coffee, make coffee for friends, get coffee before work, or after class. Pretty much at anytime during the day, we are thinking about coffee, drinking coffee, craving coffee, and we are not even a little bit ashamed. Because at the end of the day, it makes us a little more bright and cheery and a little less hot mess.

Sure, some people might look down on our highly caffeinated lifestyle. But I promise you that with enough coffee we can face the world and all of its problems efficiently (kind of). We are going to continue to keep ourselves highly caffeinated for your benefit and ours... because we are all a little nicer caffeinated. So go drink a cup...or a pot for me.