Hello Vandals! With finals literally right around the corner, I foresee many a long nights in our futures. I do not recommend the all-nighter rout for anyone, after all sleep is extremely...i repeat...extremely important to do well on any paper or test! An all-nighter or a prolonged period without enough sleep can be detrimental to your health, but unfortunately at one time or another, as a college student, we have all done the late night or nights thing. For those of you that are planning on doing an all-nighter here are some tips on how to do it successful and safely.
PROBLEM: An all-nighter should not be driven by a sugary, salty or highly caffeinated binge of food and drinks. Food and drinks with high amounts of sugar, caffeine, or salt will send your body into a roller coaster of high highs and low lows. Eventually your body will become over fatigued and will be completely drained of productivity
SOLUTION: Eat small snacks throughout the night. These snacks should be low in sugar, salt and caffeine. Fruits, vegetables, protein bars, yogurt, and unsalted mixed nuts are great options and will keep your metabolism running and your brain focused.
PROBLEM: Dehydration can be a huge issue during an all-nighter that can destroy productivity and will cause you to crash . Most students will reach for one large cup of coffee and then another, and another, and another and well you get the point...
SOLUTION: Drinking one or two small cups of coffee early on in the nights is inevitable, but you need to be predominantly drinking water. Water will keep you hydrated. This will allow your brain to function at a higher pace, and ultimately will allow your productivity to sky rocket.
PROBLEM: Many student think a secluded, completely quiet corner of the library is the best place to escape to study, but that isn't always true and your setting is maybe the most important aspect of successful studying.
SOLUTION: Do not seclude yourself completely. You will eventually run your internal batteries down and most likely end up falling asleep in your library cubicle drooling over that unfinished 10 page paper (ya...you know it's true and we have all seen people who've done it). Keep yourself in a well lit, medium to low traffic area and it will allow you to work at your best.
PROBLEM: Working for too many hours consecutively can cause your creativity, ability to form sentences, and ability to read and comprehend to disappear.
SOLUTION: It is okay and you should take a break every hour to two hours just to keep yourself from losing your mind. Take a quick break, stretch, walk around, use the bathroom, whatever fits your fancy. Just leave your computer or books for awhile...sometimes leaving your work and coming back to it will give you a new perspective and help you keep up the productivity.
PROBLEM: Avoid using social networking sites like facebook, twitter, tumblr, pinterest.................................................
SOLUTION: Let's be honest...do the best you can...it's a problem we all are trying to find a way to overcome.
I hope this helps you all in some way!!!! Good luck!
