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How to Successfully Pull an All-Nighter

Danie Roberts
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Lasell chapter.

You’ve got three papers, a presentation, math problems, reading to do, and absolutely no time. This means that it’s time to make time, and by ‘making time’, we mean sacrificing your night hours to get some work done. Pulling an all-nighter is not fun, but can sometimes be essential to actually finishing the pile of work you’re procrastinating on.

If you’re behind on work and in desperate need of an all-nighter, here are some tips on how to make it successful.

 

  1. Get some sleep beforehand. Take a nap before you get into your work. Sleep for an hour or two and set alarms to guarantee you’ll wake up. This will be a nice refresher and you won’t be lagging later on.

  2. Wear comfy clothes and have a good spot to work. That may mean sitting on the floor of the common room with your work spread out in front of you. Do not sit in your bed to do work, otherwise you will fall asleep. Leggings and a sweatshirt are a good choice.

  3. Drink tea, not coffee. You may believe coffee will be more efficient in keeping you awake, but it’s guaranteed to make you crash. Have a few tea bags ready to brew for when you need a warm drink.

  4. Have a buddy. If you can get your roommate or friend to join in, the more the merrier! You can keep each other awake, and you’ll have moral support. Having someone to talk to will make it easier to be more alert.

  5. Take physical breaks. Whether this means going for a walk around campus, having a dance party, or just stretching, it keeps your brain moving. Every hour or so, get up and move around.

  6. Have enough work to get you through the night, but not too much that you can’t handle. If you want to get ahead in your readings and assignments, go ahead. But don’t have a list longer than a page to do, because you’ll be stressed.

And most importantly…

7. If you can’t keep your eyes open, go to bed. Homework done while you’re almost asleep never looks pretty with fully-awake eyes. If you’re exhausted, then feel free to get a few hours of sleep before class.

Good luck, collegiettes, and please remember that an all-nighter every week is not the way to go. Once a month or so is the perfect way to go. All-nighters can be enjoyable at times, especially with these tips.

 

Danie is a 2018 graduate of Lasell College. She served as Campus Correspondent and Editor-in-Chief of Her Campus Lasell for two years, and wrote all four years. Danie also worked for Her Campus as a Community Management intern for two semesters, and was a National Feature Writer for six months. Danie studied Communication with concentrations in Journalism and Public Relations. She is currently seeking opportunities in the editorial or music industry. Follow her on all platforms at @raniedoberts and check out her website, raniedoberts.com.