As finals approach, more sleep deprived students can be found on campus as the true testament of college life comes into full effect. Yes, the all nighter. Students begin to forgo sleep, staying up all night long to write 10 page papers and study for exams. Although it’s always best to spread out work throughout the course of the semester, somehow all nighters always manage to sneak into our schedules.
The art of pulling an all-nighter does take some practice. As you go through your college years you learn tips and tricks to avoid fatigue and to actually be productive instead of staying up all night catching up on your favorite T.V. show on Hulu.
Senior architecture major Nick Drummond is no stranger to all-nighters. “The most important thing for me is to make a list of all the work I need to do before I stay up all night,” Drummond said. “It’s easier for me to organize what I have to do before I get tired and get things confused because I’m sleep deprived.”
Fatigue is enemy number one for the all-nighter. It’s essential to fight off feelings of sleepiness in order to not only get work done, but to have it be quality work.
Junior civil engineer major Matthew Novak plans ahead for the impending fatigue. “I usually nap ahead before I start studying to help me stay awake later,” Novak said. “But I definitely still need energy drinks to get through the night.”
Pulling through an all-nighter can be difficult but these tricks could help make the night easier to get through.
1. Try to limit your caffeine intake. Although most people would grab the large cup of coffee or Red Bull to stay awake, the crash your body will go through afterward won’t help you study. Try drinking lots of cold water instead. “Water is what I drink mostly when I stay up all night,” Drummond said. “It keeps me hydrated.”
2. Eat healthy snacks. It might be tempting to indulge in candy in hopes a sugar rush might help you stay awake. However, just like caffeine, a sugar rush can lead to a crash which leaves you feeling more tired than you did beforehand.
Try eating fruits and vegetables instead. They have natural sugars, which are better for you and are perfect to snack on to help you stay awake since they’re also healthy. Also protein rich foods like nuts can help give you energy.
3. Take breaks. It might seem easier to fly through all the work you have to do so that you can be done and get to bed. But allowing yourself some brief downtime to regroup helps you to focus better.
Junior government and politics major Davia Coke-McKay tries to frequently take breaks. “I usually leave whatever I’m doing and go to Youtube and listen to my favorite music,” Coke-McKay said. “I try to play pumped up songs to get me energized.”
All nighters can be difficult and leave you cursing yourself for leaving all your work for the last minute. However, if done correctly, you can manage to get your work done effectively and keep your sanity at the same time.