For years, studies have been conducted on college students and how they use caffeine products. Results vary widely, but what is known about caffeine is that it can become addictive, and what I know about caffeine is that it is hard to get through a busy day at school without it.

Last Friday, I checked my horoscope on an app for my iPhone. It said, at the end of my daily evaluation, to “lay off the caffeine.” I don’t know how the cosmos knew that I (and apparently all others born between May 21 and June 21) was having a problem functioning without caffeine, but this week, I have attempted to do as advised. It’s been difficult, to say the least.

Saturday I went to the grocery store to buy V8 and fruit juices. I was determined that I was going to stop drinking sodas and coffee – cold turkey. Sunday I drank water all day long. At one point, I forgot completely what I was doing and thought I had misplaced my liter of soda somewhere when I looked in the refrigerator and didn’t see one. I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy transition from my two large diet Dr. Peppers and cup of cappuccino a day, but I didn’t realize that my soda fix had grown into more of a habit than anything else.

By Wednesday, I had officially gone off the rails and bought a coke at the mall before I even realized I was breaking my new rule.

However, I am still convinced that I can survive without caffeine and am determined to start again with the new week. Now, all this talk makes me want a slice of Dublin Dr. Pepper cake with a big cup of coffee. It’s going to be a long week.