Caffeine pill highs
commonly leave
tired students low
By Chuck Lovcjoy
Final exam time has arrived, and
with it comes the stress, eye strain and
brain overwork that results from
studying.
A student’s final grade in a class is
often heavily dependent on how well
he or she performs on these exams.
Because “weighting” of the final
exams makes them so important,
students sometimes resort to extreme
measures to stay awake extra hours
while studying for them.
One of the most popular methods
for staying awake is to take stimulants.
Stimulants come in a wide variety
of forms. Caffeine, one of the most
widely used “uppers,” can be found in
carbonated beverages such as Coke
and Pepsi and in other drinks such as
coffee and tea.
Caffeine also can be found in over-
the-counter pills such as Vivarin and
No-Doz. Caffeine pills are more
effective than a single caffeinated
drink because they contain greater
amounts of the drug.
But although such pill stimulants
are effective, they can be dangerous,
says Dr. Steven Peterson, a professor
in the Texas A&M Department of
Pharmacology and Toxicology. A
Electrical engineering majors (clockwise) Marc Combs of Dallas,
Robert Howelton, Tracy Spafford and Tony Croes, all fron Houston,
study for finals in a second-floor group study room in Sterling C.
Evans Library.
Graphics by Ke//y Morgan
variety of health problems can result
from their use.
For example, ulcers of the stomach
and intestinal tract can be aggravated
with the introduction of stimulants into
the digestive system because the pills
contain such high levels of caffeine,
Peterson said.
Also, gastrointestinal stress can be
caused by excessive use, resulting in
diarrhea and severe cramps.
Users of stimulant pills also risk
overdoses, he said.
“It is possible to overdose to the
point where you can’t concentrate,”
he said. “Once this happens, you’re
stuck. You have to wait until the
effects of the drug wear off. ”
To prevent overdoses, Peterson
advises against the use of the “upper”
pills. Although he does not condone it,
he said it is much safer to use the
caffeine found in beverages.
“You can control intake with
beverages, so overdosing is not as
likely,” he said.
Should an overdose occur,
Peterson said, eating a meal will help
alleviate some, but not all, of the
resulting excess energy. He said food
containing protein, such as a
cheeseburger (or other meat dish) and
a milkshake, is best.
Problems also can occur after the
drug has worn off, he said.
“There is a depression associated
with the end of the effectiveness of
stimulants,” he said.
This phenomenon, called
“crashing,” is not as common with the
use of caffeine, but it does occur,
Peterson said.
Also, the second round of
stimulants will not be as effective as
the first, he said. As the body develops
tolerance to the drug, increasing
amounts will be required to keep the
person awake.
“This is where students get into
trouble,” Peterson commented.
“They simply don’t know when to
stop.”
Despite keeping the student awake,
Peterson said, the drugs do little else.
He said that only endurance, not
study efficiency, improves under the
influence of caffeine.
The problem of “state-dependent
learning” also may occur, which
means that the student who leams
under the influence of a drug may
have to be under its influence again to
recall the material, he said. Although
this phenomenon has not been
proven to occur with the use of
weaker stimulants like caffeine, it has
been substantiated with the use of
more potent stimulants.
Still, Peterson said this problem’s
occurrence may be dose-related,
meaning that extremely high levels of
caffeine, such as those ingested during
a marathon study session, could cause
“state-dependent learning. ”
Such physical and mental problems
can be severe, and to prevent them,
Peterson recommends several
alternatives to taking stimulants to
help students stay awake while
studying for finals.
Included in his suggestions are
taking four breaks during every hour
of study, for at least 10 minutes of rest.
He also recommends light exercise
to enhance wakefulness. A brisk walk
or light jog, he says, will greatly
improve awareness. They also can
improve concentration.
However, there is no substitute for
sleep, he said.
“Try to maintain a regular sleep
and study pattern,” he said. “And
make sure you get in some sleep
before the final, preferably between
midnight and six o’clock in the
morning. ”
The book “Pathways: A Guide to
Reading and Study Skills” by Helen
Gilbart also recommends sleep. In the
book, Gilbart writes that a good
night’s sleep is essential for good test
performance.
Books on study skills and
techniques are plentiful and readily
available in the Sterling C. Evans
Library. It is recommended that
students use these books and Dr.
Peterson’s suggestions to decrease
study time, rather than using
stimulants to increase it.
Page 8/At Ease/Thursday, Dec. 8,1988
Grad student
offers hints
on studying
By Cray Pixley
Time is steadily ticking away as final
exams draw closer. The frenzied dash
to pack in as much study time as
possible before facing the last crucial
test has begun.
The work of an entire semester may
hinge upon performance during final
exams. It is an understatement to call
the end of a semester a stressed-filled
time.
Whether students have been
keeping pace with professors’ lectures
throughout the semester or face
dusting off the cobwebs on textbooks
buried at the back of the closet, they
are all prone to pre-test stress.
Making the best of the last days
before final exams is crucial to
softening the effects of test stress. But
the solution for banishing stress is not
easily found in the final weeks before
exams. No one knows of a magic
formula to prevent anxiety.
The best answer is preparation.
Jim Dupree, a doctoral student in
counseling psychology, says that last-
minute cramming is the primary cause
of exam stress.
“If you are just starting to study
now for the test, it is a little late, ” he
says. “Students should be gearing up
all along. Waiting to the last minute is
one of the biggest creators of stress. ”
Ideally, students should be in the
midst of exam preparations by the
beginning of December.
For many students, getting started
is the hardest part of studying. Still, it
isn’t easy after that.
Environment and the way students
study is as important as how early they
begin to prepare, Dupree says.
At home, television and other
distractions can limit the effectiveness
of study time. Students should seek a
quiet place to study, where
distractions are minimal. Dupree
recommends finding a place that is
designed for studying.
“People who study in bed or on the
couch often get distracted because
they are used to doing other things in
that area,” he says. “That is why the
library or a corner table somewhere
can be advantageous.”
Once students find their ideal
places to study, they should consider
the best method of approaching the
work in front of them.
When it comes to tackling finals,
students may benefit by devising up a
schedule. Just putting a schedule on
paper often can help students
overcome what may seem like an
insurmountable load, Dupree says. By
breaking the study time into pieces,
efficiency can be improved.
“If students are planning to study
for four hours, do study well for those
hours,” he says. “Don’t plan to study
all the way through the night. Plan a
good four or five hours and then
reward yourself. ”
By setting a goal and looking
forward to a reward, students are
likely to make better use of their time,
he says. A reward may be a break to
watch television, a phone call to a
friend or an ice cream cone —
whatever provides the best
motivation.
Preparation for finals also can be
helped along by examining what the
professor has asked on previous
exams. When students are familiar
with the type of questions the
professor might ask and the direction
he might take, stress is cut down
considerably.
Finding the source of test anxiety is
no simple issue, but following
Dupree’s guidelines might reduce
stress:
Once a student has prepared
thoroughly for an exam, Dupree
recommends, it may be wise to put
the material away instead of reviewing
non-stop.
“I advise students to study as
completely as possible the night
before, ” he says. “Go to sleep and do
not review it as you are going to the
exam the next day. If you review right
before the test you tend to jumble the
information.”
This is especially good advice for
students taking their tests early in the
day.
On multiple choice exams, students
should not get worry about not
knowing the answers.
“If there are some problematic
questions, go on to the next and build
your confidence by answering other
question, ” he says. “Then go back to
those other questions when
confidence has been built up. ”
Students who take a deep breath
and begin to familiarize themselves
with an exam before jumping into the
first question may feel more relaxed,
he says.
Also, it is best to read through the
questions and get a feel for the details
the professor might be looking for
when dealing with essay exams,
Dupree says.
Even following study suggestions,
fighting test stress is not an easy task.
“There is no simple solution in
dealing with test stress, ” Dupree says.
“It is a very individualistic problem in
dealing with what makes a person
nervous.
There is always the age-old advice
of preparation and a good night’s
sleep to fall back on.”
Places to study
Students have several options
when trying to decide where to
study for final exams.
Campus dining halls and snack
bars will continue to offer extended
study hours. Schedules are as
follows:
• Sbisa Dining Hall: open
Sunday through Thursday from
8:30 p.m.-ll:30 p.m.
• Pavilion: open Sunday from 7
p.m.-ll p.m. and Monday through
Thursday from 7:30 p.m.-ll p.m.
• MSC cafeteria and snack bar
and Pie R Square snack bar: open
Sunday through Thursday from 8
p.m.-ll p.m.
• Sterling C. Evans Library will
be open for 24 hours starting
Wednesday. It will close at 7 p.m.
on Dec. 14.
Students can also hit the books
at several 24-hour resturants
around town, including the Kettle,
the International House of
Pancakes and Whataburger.
Managers say they do not mind
students studying there.
Thursday^ Dec. 8,1988/At Ease/Page 9