One Month Challenge: Coffee-Free January, Week One

[Everyone’s got a vice, a bad habit, something they know they need to change. Unfortunately, everyone also has a million excuses why they just can’t do it. Not anymore. Every month we will be following a different CollegeCandy writer as she takes on a personal challenge. Last month, Megan went 4 weeks without dining out. This month, Charlotte's kicking her bean habit. At least she's gonna try....]

By Charlotte

Like I said before, I was feeling cocky about this challenge. I stocked up on energy drinks and planned to get at least 8 hours sleep a night. I’ll be fine, I thought. It’s only a month.

But obviously, what was the first day of my challenge? You’ve got it, New Year’s Day. I didn’t exactly have a riot of a New Year’s; in fact, I kinda hate it. I went to my auntie’s 50th Birthday party with my parents and banked on a reasonably early night. However, there was a mix up getting our lift home and we ended up waiting almost two hours for a taxi. Two am rolled by and I found myself half-asleep on a chair. I got home around 2:30 and then ended up staying up until three. Why, well I had someone to speak to.

See, I’m a British girl studying abroad in America home for Christmas, and I’m seeing a boy back in the States. Here in the UK we’re 6 hours ahead, so 3am is a perfect time to speak to him. I always intend to turn off my phone and go to sleep, but once the conversation starts, it’s hard to stop. And sometimes when I wake up in the night I can’t resist seeing if he’s online, which he usually is. Three am turns into four…

And I’m a morning person. So is my family. Activity starts in our house around 8am, even in the holidays, which usually leaves me reaching for the coffee. Something which I can no longer have. No matter how good it smells when I walk into the kitchen. And trust me, it smells GOOD.

Another issue is how easily the phrase “let’s go for coffee” slips from my mouth. It’s non-committal; no bottomless money and time dedicated to a long lunch, nor an indifferent “let’s hang out.” It’s just right for a college budget; low on time and low on cash. Of course, there are other things I can drink; tea, hot chocolate, juice, but it’s just not the same.

Tuesday was a perfect example. I went out with my home friends in Manchester whilst also making plans to see one of my uni friends in Birmingham, an hour and a half train journey away. I didn’t drink a lot but we still rolled in around 3, and I hit the hay at 3:30am, with my alarm set for 9.30am. I awoke to my phone’s annoying bleeping and silently cursed my still-sleeping friends. I pulled myself out of bed and tried to make myself look presentable through bleary eyes. I am the kind of person who needs a good eight or nine hours of sleep to function. Six just doesn’t cut it.

Cold and tired, I waited for the bus, and arrived at the station to the sweet smell of Starbucks. Some like Costa, some like Nero, some like Caribou, but I like Starbucks. I stared longing at the glaring green sign, tiredness seeping through my body. Dragging myself onto the train I tried to sleep. I squeezed my eyes shut as the coffee cart came through the aisle and willed myself to nap.

I arrived just in time for lunch and after a tentative “do you mind?” I watched my friend with her strong americano. She purposely chose not to get a latte (my drink of choice), which I appreciated. But if there had ever been a day when a girl needed coffee, Tuesday was it.

So for now I plan on getting as many early nights as possible and sleeping as much as I can. I’m trying not to send late-night messages to my boy and really trying not to think about the flight back to the States, which will almost definitely come with a huge dose of jet lag. Which I will have to deal with caffeine free.

Anybody got a Red Bull?

[Check out the other One Month Challenges we've taken on. And if you've got a challenge you want to tackle (and be held accountable for), email us and we could feature you next month. Come on - it's good for you!]