The end of the fall semester is quickly approaching, and with it comes lots of late-night study groups, long papers to write and running across campus to turn in homework. Since energy drinks seem to be popping up in the news as a link to recent deaths, The Oracle has found different and healthier ways for students to maximize their energy, without hitting the bottle the five-hour energy bottle, that is as the busiest time of the semester creeps in.

Meditation
It may not be the easiest thing to do to relax the body and mind when many students have three papers and four tests to look forward to in the next two days, yet meditation is a great way to regroup and re-energize for upcoming assignments. Meditation not only allows one to refocus, but also creates a stress-free environment, which health practitioners are turning to more frequently. After meditation, perhaps that paper wont seem like such a big deal, after all.

Power Naps
Yes, really. The National Mental Health Institute says 60-minute power naps can ease an information overload and also retain whats been learned just in time to cram for finals. Power naps are considered by many as a deeper form of meditation, and help reboot the brain to take in more information. So dim the lights, set the alarm and catch a few Zs Hiball Energy drink.

If you desperately need to get your energy from a can, there is a far healthier alternative to the typical sugary, syrupy drinks near the checkout line at Publix. Luckily, USF isnt terribly far from Whole Foods Market on Dale Mabry, where one can find a Hiball energy drink. The drink contains no artificial ingredients or sweeteners and has no calories. The energy within the drink comes from organic tea leaves, B vitamins and organic guarana, a Brazilian plant.

Broccoli
It isnt common to see students walking around campus with a bag full of broccoli to snack on, but it is a good source of iron, which has a lot to do with the amount of energy in our bodies. Green foods are a good source of iron, Vitamin C and antioxidants all key components to a persons overall health. Broccoli also contains the lesser-known component chromium, which helps glucose metabolism, according to EveryNutrient.com