Concentrated? More like caffeinated. Discover how caffeine brews brain activity, fuels focus and mood, and what happens when you stir too much into your day!
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25 Aug 2025
5 Min Read
Emma Chee Luo Yi (Contributing Writer)
Concentrated? More like caffeinated. Discover how caffeine brews brain activity, fuels focus and mood, and what happens when you stir too much into your day!
Caffeine has long pulsed at the heart of Malaysian culture: from enjoying teh tarik with nasi lemak at a humble mamak stall to sipping a steaming cup of kopi in a bustling kopitiam. It wakes us up, brings us together in the ‘third space’, and—let’s be real—tastes pretty addictive.
These days, caffeine goes far beyond coffee or tea—and no longer belongs only to older generations, who once drank it most. With a growing appreciation for speciality coffee and an increasing number of local and international caffeinated beverage chains, ribbons of new, aesthetic cafés unfurl along the streets you frequent and through the malls you wander, teeming with students like you and me—studying in style or catching up with friends. Caffeinated drinks have taken on new forms, making their way into our hands (and onto our taste buds) through bubble teas, energy drinks, soft drinks, and more!
This begs the question: What’s the deal? Why do these drinks make us feel so good, and why do they keep us coming back for more? In this article, we’ll uncover the caffeine story—how it actually works in our bodies, why it has become such a go-to for students, and what happens when we push past the healthy limits.
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant – its effects are similar to a drug – that increases activity in your brain and nervous system. Once you have a caffeinated drink, its invisible soldiers—caffeine molecules—get to work fast: within an hour, 99% of the caffeine you consume is absorbed into your bloodstream through your small intestine and stomach.
Caffeine then increases cortisol levels, the stress hormone that primes your body for action, and adrenaline, the hormone that triggers your fight-or-flight response. Its most prominent trick, however, is blocking adenosine receptors in the brain – the neuromodulator that promotes drowsiness and regulates your sleep cycle. Together, these responses make you feel more awake, alert, and ready to go.
Of course, your body doesn’t just sit back and take it. Over time, it adapts. The more caffeine you consume, the more likely those same tiny doses stop working their magic, and you find yourself reaching for bigger or more frequent hits just to feel the buzz you once got from a single drink.
Among us Malaysian students, caffeine has quickly gone from a casual drink to a daily staple, weaving itself into the very fabric of youth culture—from where we hang out to how we study. Whether for convenience, social connection, or simply that extra pep in our step, caffeine’s pull on us is undeniable:
Photo credit: Gigi Coffee
When consumed in safe amounts—roughly one cup of coffee (or two cans of cola) a day for teenagers aged 12 and above, and up to four or five cups for adults —caffeine can be a welcome companion. But when the cups start to pile up, what was once a perk can spill into overconsumption, opening the door to a wide range of health problems:
Caffeine has synced itself into the rhythm of our lives, resonating across routines, generations, and cultures. From the frothy pull of a teh tarik to the velvety swirl of a milk tea, it energises our bodies, stimulates our minds, and even adds an aesthetic touch to our academic and social lives. Yet, for all its charm, caffeine is not without consequence—that’s why moderation matters. At the end of the day, it should be something that supports us, not quietly takes control.
So the next time you sip on bubble tea, coffee, or energy drink, ask yourself: are you enjoying it on your terms—or is caffeine calling the shots?
Emma Chee Luo Yi pursued Cambridge A Level at Taylor's College before attending the University of Western Australia. A law student with an artistic soul, she studies during the day and writes, draws, or crochets at night!
