Finals are approaching and all collegiettes know what that means: seemingly endless streaks of sleepless nights. Here are some tips to get the best out of your all-nighters this semester.
1. Prepare During The DayIf you’re well aware of the long night ahead of you, you’ll definitely want to take the time to prepare yourself during the day. Get a good workout in and eat protein-rich foods to keep your mind and body ready and awake. If you can, try to squeeze in a quick power nap, too. You will thank yourself later.
2. Have A PlanChances are if you plan on staying up all night, you have some pretty good reasons to. Write down exactly what you want to get accomplished and in what order. Make it a checklist if you want to keep yourself extra motivated to move on to your next task!
3. Stay FocusedGoing right along with having a plan of action, you need to have an idea of what you shouldn’t be doing. Keep your phone off and away, and limit your Internet browsing as much as possible. Need some extra help? Check out the laptop app “Self Control” to block those distracting sites.
4. Know Your CaffeineIf you’re a coffee drinker then, by all means, have your typical cup or two to stay awake. However, don’t overdo it. An overload of caffeine will have you feeling a lot worse than a lot better. Also, try to avoid those super caffeinated energy drinks and supplements. You’ll crash quickly, and have you seen those nasty health effects? Yikes.
5. Take BreaksIf you want to keep yourself going for a long period of time, then you need to make sure you take a couple of breaks. Every hour or so, you should take a 10-15 minute break. Stretch, go for a quick walk through the hallway, or do some jumping jacks- anything to get your body moving!
6. Keep Yourself GoingSitting down with Microsoft Word and a bunch of textbooks can get pretty boring. Keep yourself alert by listening to music or having the TV on in the background, and by keeping your desk lamp on. Also, avoid sitting on your bed or couch at all costs.
7. Sleep When You CanOnce every box on that list is checked off, it’s time to get some sleep. After all, two hours is better than none! After a quick nap, take a nice shower, have a healthy breakfast and get ready to rock your day!
Follow Lauren on Twitter!