According to a recently released study by the University of Minnesota, students who engage in various bad habits, such as smoking, drinking, not exercising, gambling, surfing the internet and lacking sleep, perform worse academically than students who don't. 24,000 students were surveyed from 14 Minnesota schools, and the results found a connection between certain illicit behaviors and grades. The report claims even occasional behavior, such as social smoking or drinking, can affect ones grades.

I already assumed that my bad habits were affecting my grades, but the stipulation that even once-in-a-while nights of bad sleep and chain smoking can throw a big curve make me wary. There is now a chart yelling at me, telling me to stop searching for internet porn and just go to sleep. Charts are commanding figures; they tell it like it is and won't back down. While there's no direct proof of cause and effect, I think the study makes sense, and should make people more aware of the consequences of their actions. Or, better yet, since indulging once in a while is going to affect your grades anyway, why not go all out and have another beer?