Energy Drinks
Monster, Red Bull, Bang and 5-Hour Energy drinks are some of the top methods to keeping you up and alert while trying to cram for a test or just get all that procrastinated homework done. WARNING: these are not the best tasting drinks as they claim to be by their many different flavors, but they do the trick!
Coffee
Oh, the coffee addiction you get when you come to college is real. Even if you aren’t a regular coffee fan, reach for the fancy drinks like white mocha, pumpkin spice, or caramel. And if a hot drink isn’t what you are in the mood for then buy yourself a mocha frap. For an extra dose to make sure you stay awake all night, add a shot or two to your coffee. It may cost extra, but it is so worth the pay off.
Recommendation drink: Double shot mocha frap, this will wake you up and keep you up. It taste more like chocolate than coffee too!
Tea
Tea is a great beverage to study with, keeping you alert, but not jumpy, and providing great flavor and hydration. Choose the caffeinated teas or ones that are very flavorful. If you can get your hands on a peppermint tea then you will have one good study session. Peppermint is proven to help focus you. If you aren’t used to the taste of tea, or if you are a coffee-drinker trying to cut down on coffee, then masala chai is a good choice for both flavor and caffeine content.
Gum
Peppermint gum is a cheap method to keep yourself awake. If the simple chewing of the gum isn’t keeping you awake then try obnoxiously chewing it like a cow. You should only do this if you are studying in a room by yourself though, because this will definitely be distracting to those around you.
Stay away from your bedroom
This particular room is associated with sleep and will make you lazy. So avoid laying in your bed and go study at All Knight Study or the Library. You aren’t going to want to fall asleep in front of other people so this is a simple way to keep awake.
Discomfort
Wear uncomfortable clothing like jeans, instead of sweats and a tight fitted top, instead of a t-shirt to keep yourself from feeling too comfortable and relaxed. When you are dressed in something that you could go to bed in, it creates the mood of wanting to curl up into a ball and close your eyes. Another way to keep yourself from getting too comfortable is to sit in a straight-backed chair or put yourself in a position where you won’t be inclined to go to sleep.
Take Dance Breaks!
Whenever you are in need of a quick break or are starting to feel those eyelids slowly shutting, jump up and start dancing! It doesn’t matter where you are, just start moving your body to help wake it up and get some energy back.
Classical Music
Listening to classical music that isn’t slow, like Mozart provides short-term enhancement of mental tasks — including memorization — known as “spatial-temporal reasoning.” The music won’t distract you like songs with lyrics in them will and will help your brain continue to stimulate as you study.
Coldness
Study in a cold temperature room, like they keep it in All Knight Study. This will definitely keep you awake, especially if you don’t have a jacket or blanket to keep you warm and comfortable. Everyone’s heard that cold showers help wake you up, so if you are feeling tired take a quick one. Not only is that keeping you awake, but also clean! If you don’t want to take a full on shower, than splash some cold water on your face a couple times. If these cold methods still aren’t doing the trick, make yourself uncomfortable by putting a cold ice pack on the back of your neck.