Coffee or Red Bull?

This is a question that begs to be discussed. I know a lot of people who crave some type of drink. Lately, I have been seeing a lot of coffee and a lot of Red Bull cans. I can stand to choose whether it is necessary. Many people do not even realize that they may be addicted to a particular. For instance, I know a couple of people who drink nothing but Vitamin Water all day everyday. They get it in bulks. I used to drink a lot of Gatorade even though I am not an athlete per se. I liked the taste of Gatorade. You can taste the flavor but the flavor does not overpower you. I had Vitamin Water before and I do not see why it is so popular among athletes (at least at OWU). It is exactly what it states: Water that is flavored but has vitamins in it. The taste is more medicated like taking a dose of Robitussin or something of the sort. I prefer Gatorade or Powerade over Vitamin Water.
Anyway, the change in scenery over the past two months is really surreal. I go from being in an environment of learning in the classroom where especially during mid-terms and Finals I see sundry amounts of students trying to get a buzz. If you are located at the Mean Bean or the Internet Cafe in Beeghly, the main item of pleasure and motivation is a coffee-brand drink. Am I wrong? If you are studying, what is the first thing you think of in order for you to stay awake to finish a project that you are behind on? Coffee (or in some cases, a Frappucino or some kind of a mixed-specialty non-alcoholic drink). I see the same phenomenon at work on a daily basis. Many people need to have coffee in order to wake themselves up or to keep up. Coffee sometimes becomes the great stress reliever. If you are stuck in a jam, a coffee break can sometimes break the dry spell of lack of production to get you back on track. Believe me, it works to stop staring at the computer screen and to get something to drink. Coffee in a boardroom, coffee in a cubicle, coffee is everywhere at work.
I am seeing the emergence of Red Bull and other related energy drinks. Whenever coffee does not do the trick, I settle for a Red Bull to jump start my day or to help me finish the day. I guess you can say that energy drinks is a second resort to alleviate my struggles. I am not an energy drink fiend but it does help me to finish the assignment or task out strong. I think Red Bull does help but I know that Red Bull is powerful stuff but I try not to mess with it too much. I have heard cases of students overdosing on it. Not pretty. I do not see as many people drinking energy drinks at work. I wonder why. I think that most people are already accustomed to drinking coffee more so than Red Bull or other energy drinks. Energy drinks are still experimental drinks while coffee is a favorite drink of many in the working (and especially the corporate) environment. I could rather drink coffee than energy drinks at work although sometimes I do have to switch it up.
Another reason that coffee may be more popular than energy drinks at work is that there is an accessibility rating to it. Red Bull and other energy drinks cost a arm and a leg. At work, Red Bull cost $2.50. One Red Bull. A gallon of milk in most supermarkets and corner stores is cheaper than that. Why lose money in the vending machine while you can go to the supermarket and use that money for groceries for the entire family? Accessibility for Red Bull is costly and often difficult on the customer. I highly recommend not purchasing Red Bull unless you are stuck at the job on an assignment that will have you there for the entire day or if you have the money to crave a Red Bull. For coffee, it is often free (at least where I work). Coffee is there when I arrive at 7:30 a.m. Coffee is there when I leave at 4:30 p.m. There are several coffee areas away from the cubical areas where I can go and get coffee. Most of the time, the coffee is already made. All I have to do is to add the ingredients and voila, instant coffee for me to start the day off with. No paying money for coffee and no vending machines to lose my hard-earned money to. This is why I love coffee at work.
Now on campus, the story is a little different. I can be a little more flexible in my choices. Since there is no advantage like I have at my work, I can choose either or. On a given day, I may choose one or the other or both. For most students, all they give to do is swipe their card with no worries. For me, I have to pay in cash because all of my points are wrapped up in the fraternity food system. Poor me. With the cash I have, I will need to stop by the food cart- Ritazza- in the select areas in the day (Ham-Wil, University, and the Science Center) to purchase a hot coffee or a nice, cold energy drink. I have done this plenty of times, especially during those dreaded 8:00 a.m. or 8:30 a.m. classes. Usually, the energy drink and the coffee cost around the same price- $1.99. Most days on campus, I do not have a preference as to what I drink in the morning as long as I can stay awake in class and not have a professor chastise me around my inability to stay awake in his/her class. I like having the option of choosing my drink. It makes me feel that I do not have to feel confined to just coffee.
Two different feels with work and being on campus. Two different scenarios. Honestly, I am happy with two scenarios because of the different feel that both sides bring. Does coffee make you look more professional in the work place? Possibly. Since it is more accessible there than on campus, I think I will say yes. Ultimately, it is up to the individual. Some people cannot stand the taste of coffee or Red Bull so they have to rely on water, which is my alternative as well. No caffeine, no problem. Not all of us are built to maintain themselves with coffee or Red Bull on a daily basis. I do not drink coffee or Red Bull all of the time. There is no way I would be able to focus or process anything. Most of the time, usually once a day during work or once a week on campus, I will be reaching for the cup to make my creamed latte or for the can to get my buzz on (legitimately).
That is my comments about the issue of coffee vs. Red Bull. There is no clear winner in my eyes. Everyone has cravings and the cravings may be different for many people at work or on campus. These are the two drinks that I have seen used (and sometimes abused) in my time as a college student and as a corporate America employee. So people: If you had a choice between the two popular wake-up drinks, which would you choose, coffee or Red Bull? My choice: coffee. I think Red Bull I can live without. I did not even get introduced to energy drinks until the beginning of my freshman year. My sister hipped me to coffee in my middle school years and boy was my first sips of coffee good. In this case, to each his own.





Drinking to my fascination of coffee,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10