By Sophie Yablonski and Ella Siebert

Photo credit: Sophie Yablonski.

The scent of sugary vanilla syrup in a plastic venti cup marks the beginning of Sophie Day Blackburn’s (‘27) day. Blackburn has attended Collegiate School since Kindergarten and is currently a Junior in the Upper School. Just two summers ago, her addiction to caffeine began. 

In August of 2023, Blackburn purchased her first Hawaiian Shaved Ice Alani from the Walgreens on Ridge Road. Her purchase stemmed from watching an intriguing TikTok video about someone raving about the flavor and its aesthetically pleasing packaging. What started as an impulse buy soon turned into a daily habit. Her mornings consisted of Starbucks and Dunkin runs where she purchased her go-to order: an iced vanilla latte. By the afternoon, she tends to reach for an Alani or Bloom Nutrition energy drink, her preferred pick-me-up when she feels that midday slump.

Alani energy drink in Hawaiian shaved ice flavor. Photo credit: alaninu.com.

Blackburn estimates that she drinks 400 milligrams of caffeine a day. When asked to reflect on her daily intake, she said, “I feel happier and more productive.” She tends to grab a drink as a reward after a hard day rather than a remedy for a lack of sleep. Though she enjoys the taste, she has noticed some negative side effects, including headaches, shaky hands and an eye twitch. 

Does she plan on stopping? The short answer is no. Blackburn considers her caffeine intake to be relatively normal, and she has noticed that many students at Collegiate drink around the same amount of caffeine, or more. 

So next time you find yourself at your local Starbucks, look out for Blackburn ordering her iced vanilla latte.