If you observe the Commons at about 1 p.m. — just after lunch — you might notice a sea of Starbucks cups and Celsius cans sprinkled across the tables, much to Ms. Shea’s dismay. But what’s with the unprecedented influx of beverages? What’s with the need to have a drink as an appendage 24/7?

 At such an academically-demanding school, it’s understandable that students might choose to befriend caffeine. However, as much as we here at The Vanguard enjoy a good mocha with cold foam or the more seasonal pumpkin spice latte, it’s likely that ingesting a can of Celsius (200 milligrams of caffeine) and a venti/trenta/ariana/grande cup of coffee (100 milligrams of caffeine) might not be fantastic for our heart health in the long-run.

 A caffeine rush likely isn’t the only reason for our dire necessity to have a cup in hand, so perhaps it is the feeling of the drinks that we chase; perhaps we just want to play grown-ups. After all, a morning cup of Joe is ingrained in the widely-accepted perception of a daily routine whether we witness it in cartoons or our parents’ lives. And while we students might not be ready to experience the horrors of adulting — getting dressed up each day and filing taxes and things — perhaps we do want to embody the go-getter, determined adults in our lives through a simple morning coffee.

 It appears as though we’re passing our imitation down to Gen Alpha, too: 12-year-olds with a full face of makeup, Apple Watches and Snapchat have taken the internet by storm, leaving some wondering why these children are choosing to opt-out of a real childhood. However, don’t you remember feeling beautiful when your mom let you borrow her eyeshadow? Remember when your dad let you play games on his phone? Didn’t you feel cool and grown-up?

 These Sephora kids appear to be chasing the same serene sensation that we do with our coffee, just through mountains of skincare and blush; the makeup brands are devouring it, too, targeting children through their online marketing.

 Regardless of the joy that 11-year-olds feel after downloading Instagram, these kids are missing out on a carefree childhood. Developing such mature hobbies at such a young age ruins the fun of it later in life, too.

 So, instead of clutching a tray of caffeinated beverages to our chests, let’s develop a mindset that is focused on the long run. Savor these moments in which caffeine doesn’t need to be a lifeline, these moments in which we get excited about the rare treat of a root beer float or a Sprite.

 Don’t rush to grow up because, before you know it, your precious childhood and teenage years will be over. Save the drinks for when you enter college or even become a parent, both times when you are really going to need that caffeine.

 Bottom line, however, clean up your empty cups in the Commons.