Ahh, finals. All you want to do is marathon feel-good movies with your roomies and and have a classic wine night. But you're stuck in the library, trying to avoid Twitter long enough to read a whole page of notes and downing cup after cup of what? Coffee. You take it black (like your heart during finals) and piping hot (like you, always). You have great intentions for that cup o' joe, but it never quite affects your system like you hoped it would when you were standing in that Starbucks line for a ridic amount of time. They have their benefits, but most of the time, caffeine-fueled study sessions just leave us in search of a new way to keep our studious selves awake.
1. The Idea
You're only on hour two when the first yawn strikes, but you have 80 percent of your study guide left to go. Caffeine becomes essential to your finals survival.
2. The Planning
Is it a caramel mocha kind of day? Or will only black coffee be strong enough to endure the hours ahead? One thing's for sure: Decaf is not an option.
3. The Execution
While ideal, your favorite coffee shop is blocks upon blocks away from your table at the library. The school cafe will have to suffice. As long as it's caffeinated, it will do the trick.
4. The Drinking
Time to refuel the engine. If only it would cool down fast enough so you could chug.
5. The Kick-in
You can feel it. The wide-eyed alertness is making its way in. You're gearing up for study mode.
6. The High
You're just burning through your exam material! Coffee is magical! Coffee fixes everything! You love coffee!!
7. The Crash
What's happening? You were going so hard, and now your hands are shaking, you're feeling imbalanced and your eyes are dry. Coffee, what have you done to me?
8. The Low
You're so dehydrated, you think you may die. Your stomach is making odd noises. You swear you'll never drink coffee while studying again.
9. The Bathroom Break
How has it taken you this long to realize that your bladder is about to burst? You race to the ladies' room. Darn you, coffee and your diuretic ways.
10. The Return
You're back, you're relieved, you're settled... and you're tired as hell. Your coffee wore off, and now you're just right back where you started. And you still have more work to do.
11. The Repeat
You consider caffeine again for a moment - was the crash really that bad? "I endured it once," you think. "I can do it again! I need coffee!" And back to the cafe you go.
Will we ever learn our lesson?
(Probably not.)
