By Alexandra Benfold
Oh no! You just woke up and realized that you need to pull an all-nighter. What are you going to do? How will you survive? How did this happen? Is it final exam week and you did not even start studying on those tests you have tomorrow? Did that dreaded term paper final catch up on you and you never chose a topic? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are about to enter the common college student’s experience of THE ALL-NIGHTER!
The best advice is the obvious answer of not even putting yourself in that situation, but of course it is bound to happen at least once to all of us. Here are some survival techniques to make a bad situation tolerable.
Time Management:
Before the marathon commences, first take the time to plan out all that needs to be accomplished and decide how much time it will take to complete the task. Make an hour-by-hour schedule, but be sure to fit everything in it. This is the time you should delete tasks you know you cannot do, even though you may want to. You can save them for last if you have time. Now you need to prioritize what is most important and what will be only a minor infraction.
For studying tests, you will want to study the most important information first and then move onto the next important chapters. You may also want to start studying the first chapter or whatever you covered in class the first day, for it is the least in your memory. This method works well, for you will pay attention to most of the information you study first. Later on, you will start to get tired and may fall asleep, so it is better that you already studied the most important information already.
The best advice I can give you is to plan in some study breaks. You will need at least five minutes every hour. It is better not to plan long breaks, but rather, a shorter distance in time apart. However, you do not want to take a break more than in half-an-hour sessions, for you will never be able to get back on track. These are necessary for you to clear your mind and relax, to some degree.
Food & Drink:
This is the most critical portion for allowing you to have a functional all-nighter. This will keep you alert and satisfied to continue on; however, you need to do it the right way or it may do more harm than good.
1. Limit the caffeine: Most people will want to buy a lot of energy drinks or go out for that 24oz Wawa coffee run. It can help you, but moderation is always the key. It may help you those first few hours, but it will make you crash later on, when you will already be more tired anyway. As a result, it can do even more harm later. It is a better solution for a quick paper you need to get done right away. Another problem is that most likely that drop may happen right when you are about to take that test. Tests are also the worst reasons to do an all-nighter. You cannot recall so much information in such a short time and then function during the test to remember all of it again. Caffeine is better reserved for the home stretch of finishing a paper, when you can just turn it in and then go to sleep.
2. Limit the carbs (especially sugar!): I know this is the most common of late night munchies and at that time you crave all those sugary foods, but they have the same effect as the caffeine does on your body. You will love it at that second, but later on you will regret that decision. This is why so many people tend to fail towards the early morning; because they eat everything sugary and have so much caffeine, it will result in a huge crash.
3. Fuel up on protein rich snacks: Protein gives you the right amount of energy without the crash later. Nuts, cheese, a lunchmeat sandwich or wrap with little bread, or a low-sugar protein bar. Those bars are always good; you just want to make sure that they are not loaded down with chocolate and other things, which just makes them junk food disguised as healthy snacks.
4. Drink water: Just like when you run and do exercise, you need to keep drinking water to keep up your stamina; you need to drink water to maintain that stamina to continue on studying.
Work Space:
Whichever study space works for you normally is best to stick with. You may also want to switch study spaces every so often to keep more alert and moving. You want to sit on a chair that is not too comfortable, for then you are only waiting for the inevitable falling asleep. Beds, couches, and any other cushions are also only going to make you sleepier. This will happen when it is three in the morning and you say to yourself that you are only resting your eyes, then next thing you wake up at nine, late for class.
Working with others can be very helpful and it is very easy to find others, especially during finals week. You can wake each other up when one starts to drift off and when one finishes and goes to bed it can give you that extra ounce of determination to work faster and get done. However, you want to make sure that it will not cause a distraction for you. If you will only talk with your friends, if they will constantly be loud, or if they are in a group study session, then it is better to go off alone.
Music or some background noise may actually be helpful in keeping you awake. You may want to mix in some loud music with some calm. Not too loud to be a distraction, where you cannot even think; not too calm to put you asleep. Also, it may be better to not put songs that you have memorized, where you will only have the urge to sing along. Remove all distractions, including your cell phone, instant messaging, Skype, games, and especially Facebook (that includes Farmville!)
Positive Attitude:
You already established that this sucks and that you will NEVER do this again! However, if you do not get past this, you will not be successful in finishing. It is best to maintain a sense of humor about the whole situation. You do not want to just beat yourself up mentally about it. The best advice: DON’T PANIC! You have to realize that yes, you probably will not receive your best grade on it, but you never know. If you concentrate and work consistently, you will probably do well enough. Just keep a positive outlook that you cannot go back and change the past and that you WILL get done! Good Luck!
Photo courtesy: http://mnijm.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/up-all-night-breakfast-pv-t.jpg
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