Just the thought of taking exams during finals week overwhelm students like a ravaging tidal wave engulfing a tiny island. The term “stress” takes on an entirely different meaning, as students prepare for a week of hell, as they like to refer to it. A week where insomnia is more common than sleep itself, and students accentuate the idea of cramming by studying for numerous hours on end – it all comes with the territory.

However, there is something that does not come with the territory that somehow finds its way into the system. It brings about a sense of ease, a sense of comfort, and a strong sense of concentration, which is what it literally does – Adderall.

“You know when you’re tired and you can’t focus?” said a student who requested remain anonymous. “Well, I take Adderall to stay awake because I want to study. So I won’t be tired and I can focus,” she said.

According to the clinical psycho-pharmacology consultant at the University of Connecticut student health services, Dr. Charles Caley, Adderall is prescribed for the neurological brain disorder called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), where the active ingredient, dextroamphetamine, increases energy and improves hyperactivity and attention. He said the drug exists in six strengths, anywhere from five to 30 miligrams.

Adderall has found its way into the lives of college students like a virus with no cure – and with no desire to find a cure. Students abuse the drug in hope of better study habits and better grades, when in actuality it deteriorates health and alters personalities.