Because pulling all-nighters and downing all the coffee you can the next day is fun… right?
As a sophomore in college I can truly say I live the procrastinator lifestyle. While my time management has become a little better in college, I have still spent a number of nights staying up way later than I should have needed to because I was writing a paper or cramming for a test.
From one procrastinator to another, here are my biggest tips to help with some of those stressful nights…
1. Don’t distract yourself.
If you’re doing a paper that’s due the next day you definitely want to savor every moment you have writing it. I am addicted to my phone, but the best idea is to put it away so you won’t be tempted to check Instagram every ten minutes. Also, make sure you’re in a quiet space where friends won’t be a distraction.
2. Don’t spend time being mad that you’ve put off the assignment.
Obviously, you’ll be a little mad at yourself for putting your work off but now you just have to do it. So as much as you might be thinking, “I’d rather be sleeping,” you just have to power through!
3. Work with what you have.
Clearly this isn’t going to be your most well-written assignment. So just focus on meeting the requirements and answering the question. If you’re studying, really focus on what you don’t understand. You have to make the most of the time you have.
4. Think about what kinds of assignments lead you to procrastinate the most.
A lot of times I find myself procrastinating things that seem really hard or ones I don’t understand. If this happens to you, try to get help ahead of time. I promise, it will save a lot of stress later.
5. Stock up on caffeine and food.
If you can’t avoid the inevitable, make sure you have caffeine and food. Trust me, they will make that all-nighter seem a little more tolerable.