I'm a sophomore taking 16 credit hours, work a part time job, keep my grades up, and still manage to have a social life all without the help of caffeine or naps. When I tell someone that I don't drink coffee, their immediate reaction is to stare at me wide eyed as if I'm from another planet. Everyone immediately asks me how I wake up in the morning if I don't drink coffee and I'm not really sure of the answer. My morning routine consists of music and David Dobrik vlogs playing while I get ready so maybe that's the key.

I've realized lately how much people rely on coffee. The first thing people do when they come into work is clock in and pour themselves a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Many people on campus, including my roommate, cannot go to class or function at all until they've had their cup of coffee.

The honest reason I don't drink coffee is because I can't stand the taste of it. No matter how much sugar and cream I add, it still tastes awful to me. I'm not a fan of tea either and I hate energy drinks so I just don't have any caffeine in my diet. Avoiding caffeine is not on purpose but I'm glad I don't drink it because I don't want to be dependent on something to wake me up each morning.

Naps are a different story, I purposefully avoid naps. You will only catch me napping if I'm extremely tired and sleep deprived. A couple weeks ago, I pulled 3 all nighters in a week for midterms. That week, I let myself take a 2 hour nap and that was it. I honestly think naps are a waste of time. They're a good way to catch up on sleep but they waste your day away. If you want to gain sleep then go to bed earlier.

In conclusion, you don't actually need caffeine or naps to function in college, maybe you'll find that you're better off without these things!