Mountain Dew Essay -- Soft Drinks Soda Essays

Mountain Dew It's cool and refreshing. It's satisfying and invigorating. It's Mountain Dew. But it's not just regular pop. It's a lifesaver that keeps many college students alert during strenuous moments in their college life. Mountain Dew is a favorite of many students on the GC campus because it is relatively cheap to purchase and not difficult to come across. This power drink can be found in the cafeteria, at the Leaf Raker, and in many of the vending machines on campus. Students can get free refills at the cafeteria and may purchase this drink for 99 cents at the Leaf Raker and $1 from vending machines. It comes in cans and in plastic bottles of various sizes. One can buy it in bulk from places like Wal-Mart and other supermarkets. Why do students prefer this suspicious-looking, yellow-colored beverage to other popular drinks like Coca Cola or Pepsi? Many students say they like it because it tastes good and keeps them awake. They find this extremely sweet and caffeine-packed solution appealing and refreshing to taste. Senior Zach Bougner said he likes the citrus taste of Mountain Dew. "I used to drink a can every day before school in high school," said Bougner. "I drove with my left hand and drank with my right." Mountain Dew has the highest caffeine content of all the other pops. While Coca Cola has 45.6 mg of caffeine per 12 oz and Pepsi has only 37.2 mg of caffeine per 12 oz, Mountain Dew contains 55 mg of caffeine per 12 oz. If you are a student who is accustomed to staying up 48 hours straight while battling to block out the enticing call from your bed, this beverage is the way to go. Not only is it high in caffeine, it is also highly concentrated with sugar and other carbohydrates. A sin... ...of hours at a time. What alternatives do people have to stay awake? Should Mountain Dew even be an option? Foster feels it is okay to drink it. "People get addicted to coffee as with Mountain Dew," he said. "For something that isn't as life-hampering [as drug addiction, for instance], I don't think it's that big a deal." He feels there should not be restrictions, except for kids because they are already energetic. On the other hand, Foster says his caffeine tolerance is so high that nothing can really help him stay awake. "It's my own motivation, my own drive, that keeps me awake," he said. Perhaps other students can learn from Foster. Depending on Mountain Dew or other caffeinated beverages may not always be advisable. Sometimes they work and at other times they don't. There comes a time when people just have to make "dew" with what they've got.