There is a certain intrinsic value to a substance that gives you the ability to work harder. The increasing demands of today’s academic world call for students who are willing to go the extra mile, push themselves a little further. If you really want to get ahead of the competition, or at least stay in the race, you should know what is required of you. The perpetual slew of essays, readings and research can be approached with a sort of dumb optimism at first, but it is unforgiving. If you make the mistake of taking a step back to consider the daunting reality of your situation after staying awake for twenty-four-plus hours to cram for a midterm because you spent the days prior cranking out two essays and finishing the other nightly assignments you’re still somehow behind on, then you might start to panic. You shouldn’t –– panicking never helps. But taking some Adderall might.
Before I dive into the mystical world of study drugs, I would like to note that none of this is to say that there are no longer students who possess both the work ethic and internal drive to succeed by their own means. Such a breed still exists, and I know many of them. However, not everyone is able, nor was intended, to operate on such a level. Employers don’t care about what you were intended to do, though: adapt or die.
The growth that modern industry is experiencing is bordering on unsustainable, and the ivory tower has become a battleground on which students fight for the chance at a sustainable future. Consequently, the downsides of taking a small dose of amphetamines to knuckle up and keep going begin to fade.
Adderall, from what I can discern, is the most popular of the study drug catalog. I’ve had a prescription since my pediatrician diagnosed me with ADD in the fifth grade, though I do not wish to get more personal than that. I mean only to point out that I am well acquainted with the topic at hand. It is a central nervous system stimulant and, when taken as prescribed, is said to show long term improvement in cognitive function. The emphasis should be on “as prescribed.”
The difference between taking your daily dose and bumming a 20 milligram extended release off of your friend is that in one of those situations, you’re getting high. Just because you’re using it to study or take a test does not change the fact that you’re altering your state of mind. You might not have a problem with that; it’s your prerogative. It’s also a criminal offense, but legal repercussion seems like a distant factor to consider when it’s crunch time. Even if you have a prescription, the stresses of college life exacerbate the potential for abuse. And as many of you may have seen or experienced firsthand, that is a slippery slope.
The idea of being high carries a negative connotation when considered objectively. A subjective approach, on the other hand, provides a look at the balancing act many students perform on a daily basis. Within that act, study drugs play an interesting role in blurring the line between academic and social life, between utility and recreation. I had encountered people who would take these substances recreationally before, but it was not until college that I met people who would do a line of it just to do their school work.
The danger is not so much in the physical addiction; students don’t tend to abuse it in doses large enough to warrant such effects. The potential for mental dependency is much more likely. Relying on study drugs to perform well in school creates an association between the euphoric feelings of the substance and the work being done while on it. Thus, trying to do the same amount of work at the same level of efficiency becomes even more of an uphill battle.
The side effects of these medications can also be taxing. Before being marketed to students, amphetamine salts were sold as diet pills because of their ability to suppress appetites. In the midst of an Adderall-driven study session, a cup of coffee can seem like an appropriate substitute for a meal. Your mood tends to fluctuate as well, especially when the substance begins to wear off. Weight loss and irritability are at the top of the list, but if doses are poorly timed, your sleep schedule can also take a hit.
As I mentioned earlier, when faced with an overwhelming workload, the drawbacks of using study drugs are often forgotten. Aside from the direct benefit of enhancing your work performance, it can just make it more exciting. This added allure might spawn from the depleting nature of society’s attention span and the need to be constantly entertained people seem to feel these days, but who’s to say? All in all, this is an issue that has received a surprisingly small amount of coverage for its prevalence and is something we as students should be more aware of, if not for our own well-being then at least for the sake of discretion.
Sam Jefferson is a junior majoring in economics. His column runs biweekly.
