Coffee Withdrawal

The following personal photo essay was completed during the second week of March.

It surprises me how well I’ve listened in class for the past two days due to coffee.

Or, not surprising at all.

I just started drinking it again, because I am ridiculously tired all the time. Maybe tomorrow I'll actually listen in my Chinese Painting class instead of checking my Facebook every single second of my 90 minute class.

Over the past couple of weeks coffee has become my best friend.

I sit with it in class, late at night, and those mornings I cannot seem to stay awake for.

My brother, who is absolutely in love with coffee, says coffee got him through his classes and helped him focus on school and further led him to be the best in his class.

Oh, that's fun, I thought to myself when he said this to me. I actually think he’s joking, being his younger sister and all.

After all, it’s his obligation to tell me nonsense.

Turns out his blather is really wisdom in disguise.

My family, actually my entire family, loves coffee. I mean they have to have it every single morning no matter what.

Coffee with cream and sugar. Coffee with cookies. Coffee with any pastry.

Coffee is breakfast.

If there is no creamer use milk. No milk? Use cocoa mix to substitute creamer. It’s no wonder my brother thinks coffee saved his life. I hear stories about when I was younger that I cried over it and continuously thought my grandmother’s mug of coffee was beyond delicious (it still is, by the way).

Coffee is my life.

With that in mind, I decided to coffee-fast for about a week. It is probably one of the worst things I have suggested thus far specifically on the week of midterms, but either way, like Barney would say from “How I Met Your Mother,” “Challenge Accepted.”

It shouldn’t be that bad, right?

Wrong.

Over the past week, the only thought passing through my conscious mind has been coffee 90% of the time. I, honestly, do not know how I got past my first two midterms that have been stressing the life out of me. In the middle of the week, I envied the students carrying anything resembling coffee. My taste buds activated in remembering the richness of a caramel macchiato and started to water my mouth, demanding to quench my thirst. But I had to resist. As the days go by all I want to do is sleep, stand in line at Starbucks for a quick fix, and carry my coffee cup to each meal.

In short, I understand why my family is passionate about coffee and why my cousin nurses it throughout her day.

It is electric and has the potential to be someone’s best friend.

Coffee solves everything.

Some would call this an addiction. But I call it love.

Reach the photographer at ptohonni@asu.edu or via Twitter @purplekittehbum

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