Apparently, just plain old-fashioned studying and even cramming has become obsolete, as there has been an increase in students using Adderall and Ritalin in an effort to make better grades. These drugs are the most common drugs prescribed to Attention Deficit Disorder sufferers and they help improve concentration and focus.

Students who do not suffer from the disorder obtain these drugs and use them as “study-enhancers.” Due to many risks involved in using drugs that are not specifically prescribed to a person, it is definitely not smart or safe to use them to essentially cheat one’s way to an “A.”

According to research detailed in a New York Times column, the drugs tend to have a placebo effect in the long term. After years of taking the drugs, children that actually suffer from ADD show little scholastic and behavioral improvement.

It is as if the drugs only give the sufferer short bursts of concentration, which is why the drugs work well for college students who cram for exams. However, as the student continues using the drugs, the effects begin to wear off.

So, once the effects completely wear off, the student is back at square one all over again: studying soberly and focusing on their own to earn a desired grade.

Think of it as a problem with a car battery. Once the battery is dead, you could have people jump start the car to get it running long enough to take you home all you want.

Eventually, you will grow tired of breaking down across town in said car, so you would most likely end up spending the money to get a new battery anyway (along with towing fees, calling disappointed parents, etc.).

There is a drug that has been on the market for about a century that would be an excellent addition to study time. Its common characteristics include an incredible amount of alertness which is great for all-nighters.

One would gain plenty of energy which could aid in staying awake and focused during class. Another good effect is appetite suppression as one cannot concentrate on anything if they are starving.

So, you could easily see how anyone would end up with good grades using such a drug.

However, the drug mentioned above is cocaine. The catch with cocaine is that it is highly addictive, so much so that you would become willing to do literally anything to obtain this drug. You most definitely would have to quit school (which was ironically be the reason you began using it), and your life would effectively be in shambles.

This is an extreme example and argument, but it shows just how ridiculous the logic is behind using Adderall and Ritalin for studying.

The simple solution is just to study. College is about learning how to learn. You get the chance to figure out what you are good at and how you learn best.

It is also about preparing for a job. On that note, cramming for exams in general is not wise as we tend to let all of that information leave the other ear as soon as we leave the test site. If you remained “drugged up” through school just to cram, the job you get may not last very long because you really do not know what you are doing.

Could you imagine having a doctor who got through medical school on drugs?

I believe that is not wise in the long run to use drugs to earn better grades. In fact, I think this act should be punishable within universities as academic dishonesty because the user is cheating him or her self out of a proper education.

Rozlin Draper is a freshman criminal justice major from Fort Worth.