College is full of deadlines: midterms, 30-page essays, research papers, and final exams.
Although we’re all here to be learning, many students also have jobs or internships among their other responsibilities. And it’s an age-old battle of priorities to find how to juggle all of this, plus a social life, eating and sleeping.
There are plenty of options, of course: Monster, Red Bull, Four Loko — if you want to be intoxicated as well as awake — and coffee, among other things. There are also pills, like Adderall — which is illegal without prescription, and plenty of legal herbal supplements.
However, popularity and word of mouth reigns supreme with these latter options. Sadly, Adderall is a well-known and popular option — a professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine told the Los Angeles Times that 4 to 8 percent of college students without prescriptions use “study buddy” stimulants.
Adderall is frequently referred to as a “study buddy” in news reports and articles for the way it is abused by overworked college students — and is being brought into question by many institutions and students as to whether or not using stimulants is cheating.
However, all-natural “Study Buddy” pills are sold at our own ASU Bookstore, and therefore cannot be bad if endorsed by the University.
What’s even worse is that they’re sold with the slogan: “May increase intelligence!”
Sorry to disappoint, but this warning is not even close to being true.
In an article written by the Arizona Daily Wildcat in April, the headline was “Study Buddy pill replaces Adderall.” While trying to get students to stop taking illegal drugs is a noble cause, “replacing” Adderall is not something to be proud of. Natural or not, it’s still a pill, and a poorly named one at that.
Initially only sold at the University of Arizona campus, Study Buddy is now at all major universities in Arizona, as well as schools in Utah, Colorado and California.
Despite its expansion, Study Buddy may not be doing as well as the creator initially hoped. A less than subtle email was sent by Study Buddy’s creator to The State Press, suggesting we “check it out.” Apparently word of mouth is getting this product nowhere.
As pressure-filled and stressful college may be, it’s important to try to stay healthy. While it may be tempting, it’s best not to take Adderall or any of its purported replacements.
Being in possession of Adderall without a prescription is a felony. While potential legal action alone should be enough to discourage use, there are also serious health issues associated with its abuse.
Adderall is as addictive as meth, so it is clearly not a substance to be using recreationally and without the supervision of a licensed doctor. So, no, the guy you know who’s applying to medical school doesn’t count.
So what are the alternatives? A healthy lifestyle that includes sleep, physical activity and proper nutrition is a start, instead of a regimen of partying and a diet of booze. Coffee can be healthy in safe amounts, and staying hydrated with water can help prevent sluggishness. Take a healthier approach to studying, and your body will thank you not force you into the arms of a Study Buddy.
Share study tips at amurrell@asu.edu
