this is what college is all about...an occasional all nighter because you procrastinated. i hadn't done this for a while (pulled an all nighter). however, i am a professional procrastinator with certain things. this is a picture of me looking fabulous during my all nighter last sunday. the good news? i finished my semester paper!! i felt very victorious afterward and ended up being quite proud of the paper. later, i found this "how to" online that might have been helpful. my favorite steps? 2, 15, 16, 20, 24, 25. my biggest mistakes? my 20 minute naps turned into hour naps. so i guess it wasn't a true all nighter...more like write for 2 hours, sleep for 1. write for 2 hours, sleep for 1. good times? i think so.
Steps
- 1Do your work. Plenty of times, you get sidetracked. Avoid this by setting a constant pace for yourself: 50 minutes of work, and a 10 minute break. Besides, keeping your mind occupied will make it easier to stay awake.
- 2Move! Dance! Stretch! Not so often that it becomes a distraction; just while taking that hourly 10 minute break.
- 3Avoid caffeine, if possible. See warnings for reasons why. Drink two brimming glasses of ice cold water every 30 minutes. Not only will the cold keep you awake, but you'll need to urinate very often. It's difficult to sleep on the toilet.
- 4Play (softly, if you have a roommate) hardcore metal music. You may enjoy it, but it must be, at all costs, harsh and a bit arrhythmic. Try to stick to instrumental music, which is less distracting. This will keep you from being lulled to sleep.
- 5Work with windows open: cold air will keep you awake. Warm air knocks you out. If you find the cold air is effective in keeping you awake, you can even go to the bathroom and wash your face with cold water. Only wash your face if you are getting tired, you don't want to waste studying time.
- 6Set your computer screen to a lower setting, (duller and darker) so as not to strain your eyes. See warnings for why not to.
- 7Turn off instant messengers, your cellphone, the TV, and do not surf the internet, edit wikiHow, read, draw, etc. In fact, pinch yourself if you do. This can distract you very easily.
- 8Do not work in bed, on a couch, or on the floor. If you work in any other place than a cold, hard table and chair, you will feel very tempted to sleep. If possible, work somewhere far away from your room/bed, so it's a pain to go back and sleep. Try to be around some other people, too, so you do not feel comfortable sleeping in your chair.
- 9Set a timer, if you're going to nap. Don't nap for more than 20 minutes, and stay half-awake. Avoid napping at all costs, though. "Just 20 minutes of relaxation" will more likely involve you waking up past your class the next day.
- 10Rotate subjects every hour, if applicable. You'll quickly mentally wear out on one topic.
- 11Work through it all. If you have time at the end, pack up your stuff, lay out your clothes, then set your alarm as late as possible, to achieve the most possible sleep.
- 12Try sitting in different places around the room.
- 13Remember: if you are tired and are completely slumping over your work, sit up straight. It could immediately make you feel more awake. Yes, it sounds stupid, but try it.
- 14Eat protein-rich foods like sandwiches, cheese, and other dairy products. Sugary foods may make you feel awake for a little while, but can eventually make you feel drowsy. Apples or apple juice also help, especially if you eat cheese with it. Apples keep your blood sugar stable so you're able to stay awake longer, some say they're better than caffeine!
- 15Think positively. Thoughts such as: "I am almost done," "This is actually not too bad," "I will get to see the sunrise," "I will get a good grade" can definitely help.
- 16Get scared. Sure, it sounds silly, but do it. Watch a horror movie or read something frightening. You'll be too scared to fall asleep. This is best used when you're at the end of the night and need to get through that last little bit, and make sure the movie goes straight to the action, it's easy to fall asleep in dull moments. Do not do this if there is work to be finished, though!
- 17Note: if you are tired and bored of studying the same thing over and over again, remain positive. You can even try to make a game out of it so studying won't be so strenuous and dull. (It sometimes helps to time how fast you get math problems done, and try to beat that time.)
- 18Tap your feet! It may seem weird, but it helps for some people to consistently tap their feet. If it becomes a habit, it might just save you from falling asleep at those final dire moments.
- 19Chew gum. Like tapping your feet, it keeps you awake without being distracting!
- 20Squeeze and massage your ears. There are acupoints on your ears, and when stimulated, send electrical signals into your brain. You'll feel buzzed immediately.
- 21Don't eat granola, milk, lemons, or turkey. These are all foods that will make you tired and sleepy.
- 22Always have the light on. It's hard to stay awake when you're in a nice, dark room.
- 23Don't think about anything luxurious, such as being in a mansion or in a hot tub, you will feel relaxed.
- 24Don't write poetry or quietly sing songs, draw, or even play with your hair while day dreaming. This will calm you.
- 25Don't yawn. You're yawning because you are taking in less oxygen, and that means your breathing is steady, light, and slow. You don't want that.
