![The cross country team poses for the camera after finishing the district meet. The varsity boys, JV boys and JV girls all placed third and the varsity girls placed fourth. “Coach put in the right training for us for this season, so I think we will be peaking this week and the next couple of weeks,” varsity runner and junior Nathan Kukla said. “The chances of making it to state are very high, but we don’t settle for the lowest and there is always going to be that chance, so [we] race for the best.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Heidi-831-1200x900.jpg)
![Sucking in a breath of air, freshman Lily Pope competes in the 200 yard individual medley. On Oct. 25, the swim team competed in the AISD Swim Invitational. Overall, the girls team took second place and the boys team came in eleventh. “My favorite stroke is butterfly because I do the best in that stroke,” Pope said. “I feel like [butterfly] can test how [your ability] to convince yourself to keep going. The hardest part of swimming is convincing yourself to stay strong and keep pushing during a hard race [when] everything is tired.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/POPE-1200x804.jpg)
![Smiling at the camera, Author Ehigbor Okosun, members of Page Turners, and other students reflect on the author's visit. “I thought the visit was great,” Senior Amia De Leon said. “It was interesting talking to her and [getting to know] her process and her thoughts and books in general. But I think the reason it went well [was that] people got to ask questions. I'm glad that she said so much in response to the questions and it wasn't just one and done. [The author’s responses] felt very articulate.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Sebastian-5-1200x800.jpg)
![Standing in front of the field at a freshman football game, cheerleader freshman Jacob Gaudreau along with teammate freshman Bella Gibson pose for a photo during halftime of game. “[Cheer has] definitely given me a much more outgoing personality,” Gaudreau said. “I used to be very introverted, so it's definitely made me more extroverted towards people.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Ingrid-204-1200x800.jpg)
![Holding a wooden pizza toy, senior Taylor Peterson plays with small children in Bucaramanga, Colombia. During the summer, Peterson traveled to Colombia to help build an elementary school that only had two classrooms but five or six grades with one teacher. “We add[ed] two more classrooms,” Peterson said. “It’s kind of hard when you have two or three grades in one classroom and you only have one teacher. It’s very hard to actually get some beneficial learning. [The extra classrooms will give the students] a better quality of education because they’ll actually have a place specific for their learning.” Photo by Taylor Peterson](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Taylor-P.png)
![Swinging with his arm extended, senior Nolan Park hits the ball smoothly over the net and to the opponent’s side. Park is one of four varsity tennis captains and helped the team win district championships. “Winning district champs was a pretty awesome feeling,” Park said. “We had lost to Liberty Hill a couple of weeks before, but when we played them [again], we came out and really took care of business. We took them out and it was just a really awesome night.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Kassidy-419.jpg)
![Standing proud, varsity senior athletes Rafael Escobar, Griffin Jacobs, Jakob Martin, and juniors Jackson Springer and Jack Morris pose with their newly earned medals. The varsity team finished third out of 14 teams on Sept. 25. “The team's primary goal is to win the district championship,” head coach Cody Price said. "We're confident that with our action plan in place, we can accomplish this mission. [For the next tournament], our preparation involves assessing our strengths and weaknesses, celebrating milestones and creating individual development plans." Photo courtesy of Cody Price](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/golf.jpg)
The Hidden Addiction
Caffeine Proves Unhealthy, Addictive
Coffee cup is pictured in a classroom. There are many addictions in society today. Drugs, alcohol and now one that is quiet, but still relevant; caffeine. According to Medical News Today, heavy use of caffeine can cause nervousness, anxiety, jitteriness, sleep problems, gastrointestinal disturbances, tremors and increased heart rate. So while students struggling to balance their busy lives resort to a caffeinated beverage, they are actually putting themselves at risk of something much worse than low energy or sleepiness.
February 6, 2020
There are many addictions in society today. Drugs, alcohol and now one that is quiet, but still relevant; caffeine. Caffeine addiction is defined by The Verywell Mind as the excessive and/or harmful use of caffeine over a period of time, which has negative effects on your health, social interactions, or other areas of your life.
Caffeine is easy to access, as you can simply go to your local Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, or even a gas station for a Coca-Cola. With the business of students’ day to day lives, they are prone to seek out something that seems harmless, especially if it is so easy to access and that gives them the boost that they need to get through their day or even their late night
According to Medical News Today, studies have indicated that 83.2 percent of teenagers consume caffeinated beverages regularly, and at least 96 percent consume them occasionally. High school students are constantly balancing schoolwork with home life or even extracurriculars and a job, so it is not surprising that they have started seeking a beverage that can keep their energy up and running. While this seems like a good option, it actually has plenty of negative side effects for those who continuously consume caffeine.
Medical News Today also reported that heavy use of caffeine can cause nervousness, anxiety, sleep problems, gastrointestinal disturbances, tremors and increased heart rate. So while students struggling to balance their busy lives resort to a caffeinated beverage, they are actually putting themselves at risk of something much worse than low energy or sleepiness.
While there are short term effects like anxiety and nervousness, there are long term effects that many do not see. According to Healthline, excessive caffeine intake causes a fast heart rate, increased urination, nervousness, anxiety, stomach upsets and insomnia. These long term effects and even short term effects of caffeine put every sleepy student at risk of an unhealthy lifestyle disguised as a healthy alternative to being sleepy or unenergized. But caffeine addiction is real, and it is dangerous.
Do not feel discouraged though, there are healthy alternatives to drinking caffeine. According to Healthline, matcha tea is a good option. It is a type of green tea that reduces your risk of high blood pressure and has also been associated with reduced weight and body fat, as well as a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Yet another healthy alternative to coffee is chicory coffee, which Healthline also said is a good option that tastes very similar to coffee but is actually caffeine free. The drink is very high in the beneficial fiber insulin, which may aid in digestion and support a healthy gut.
While pulling away from caffeine may be a struggle, don’t lose hope. There are plenty of healthy alternatives that will lead to a happier, healthier life.
