By Kaitlyn DeHaven | Social Media Editor

Caffeine isn’t for everyone.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I swore off caffeine for two years because of high anxiety levels. Now, as a junior in college who has probably slightly over-committed herself, that simple cup of coffee in the morning is a necessity to drag myself out of my soft, cozy, blanket-filled bed in the morning.

I’ve been on both sides of the classic “to-be or not to-be” tale. I’ve loved caffeine, and I’ve lost caffeine. But, I’ve found ultimately that sometimes, caffeine might just be a necessary evil in your life.

Sometimes life gets crazy — especially in college. You lose sleep, you need to get to that test and you also have to make sure you’re maintaining relationships. It’s exhausting.

The warm, comforting smell of my dark cup of joe not only helps me get out of bed in the morning, but it has become a daily part of my routine, almost like brushing my teeth or putting on another pair of fun, animal-pun socks.

Interestingly enough, drinking caffeine could also cut your risk for liver, mouth and throat cancer in half. This is because caffeine detoxes your liver, which keeps you healthier in the long run.

This not only applies to coffee, but tea or any form of caffeine you decide to consume.

In addition, while I know from personal experience coffee definitely makes me an all-around happier human, studies show that drinking a few cups of coffee a day can lower the risk of suicide and depression.

Not all side effects of caffeine are positive though. As I mentioned before, a few years ago I had to ditch the caffeine for a while because of where I was in my life and what caffeine was doing to my brain.

I was stressed out of my mind, and my caffeine consumption was causing me to lose control of my thoughts and my words. I became pretty unlikeable for a while.

Cutting out caffeine not only helped me get rid of these problems, but also allowed me to be a much more calm and collected person.

This being said, obviously caffeine can cause immensely high levels of stress, heart palpitations and dizziness if consumed without a sufficient amount of food.

Caffeine can also build up in your system over time, and sometimes the anxiety can make you feel like you’re about to explode. That’s when it’s really time for a break from the pot of joe.

Overall, it’s important to assess whether it’s time for caffeine or time for a break. Everyone is different, and everyone’s bodies are different, but don’t feel ashamed if you need that morning buzz, or if you need to take a break from it for a while.