I woke up about half an hour before my alarm this morning. This doesn’t happen very often but I was completely awake and half of my brain was desperately trying to find a way to justify getting up earlier than usual while the other half was quite content to simply slump back asleep. I was literally falling asleep when the wakeful half of my brain shouted (mentally) “If you get up early you’ll have time to get coffee before class starts!” This was a dirty trick and resentfully I got up and went through the motions of getting ready for class.

Last year I had a stomach problem that essentially meant I had to avoid coffee which made early morning lectures hell on me. I tried all the alternatives, eating an apple, drinking a glass of that fizzy vitamin stuff that’s meant to be good for you and even drinking 3 cups of tea but none of them worked. So it came as a bit of a surprise when I found myself coping better and better without my coffee fix. I was able to focus in class without constantly sipping at my caffeine drip and slowly but surely I stopped falling asleep in lectures. I’d broken the back of my addiction and would never again need to be dependent on a stimulant to keep me going through the day. I had won.

Sadly for me I started work at a cafe that provides free coffee for its staff and after only one day there I caught myself with a coffee in my hand. I hadn’t even been fully aware I was drinking it until it was far too late. Like a recovering alcoholic I fell off the wagon and I fell hard. Sure I rationalised that it was only one latte to help me get started in the day but soon I was getting coffee between lectures and then after lectures. Now all it takes is the promise of coffee to get me to wake up half an hour before I even need to. I am even sipping at a mug of coffee while I type this.

I guess what I’m saying is that it may seem like a problem but really there’s no problem here at all. If you’ll excuse me I need to go and peruse the bean selection at the grocery store now.