There's Hope

There's Hope I'm an incoming college freshman and I've been told by my friend to make a blog about college tips, because she really liked my advice (even though I have 0 experience soooo). Anyway, I figured if it helped her, why not try to help others? Asks Submissions Protip Index Purpose

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Protip #2: Staying Focused

I think we can all agree that college is going to be a stressful, sleep-depriving time for us all. You will eventually find yourself dozing off in the morning or afternoon, and that's never a good thing when you need to focus on your studies and classes, so here are some tips for keeping yourself awake and alert during the day.

1. Make sure you've eaten recently. While you may think that you're not hungry or that you can get away with skipping a meal, the fact is you will not be at your best if your stomach is empty. You'll notice your focus begin to wane, your eyelids will feel heavy, and your vision may blur. These things can happen without you even noticing, be vigilant and keep yourself fed, even if it's with something as small as a couple carrots or a stack of crackers every twenty minutes. In the cut-throat world of college, healthy snacks are your friends.

2. Exercise whenever possible. I get it: classes are kicking your butt and you don't have time for running 6 miles a day. The good news is that you don't need to do a lot of exercising for it to keep you awake. Something as easy as a brisk walk or jog around your dorm building every hour or two to get your heart pumping can make a big difference, especially when you're working on a project or studying for hours on end.

[Fun fact: One of my friends would wear her workout clothes when she studied in the library so she could jump up at any time during her studying to take a breather and refresh her mind as she ran around the building a few times.]

3. STAY HYDRATED. Don't go anywhere without a water bottle full of water that you are willing to drink, because you never know when your mouth will suddenly turn into the Gobi Desert and end your concentration forever. Also, aside from keeping you focused, staying hydrated has a ton of other health benefits like greater emotional stability (that's a good one), healthier skin, and heightened metabolism, so you get to look hotter while getting better grades. It's a win-win.

4. Avoid sugary foods and drinks. Yes, they taste awesome and they're cheaper than their healthier alternatives, but sugar is not something you want to be consuming in excess while you're getting your degree. Sugar dehydrates you, which, as previously stated, is distracting and hurts your focus. In addition, sugar acts as caffeine in the sense that people tend to become hyperactive and focus less in general after eating sugar. But if you simply can't live without your sugary snacks, then at least cut out or decrease your consumption of sugary drinks, since these are probably the worst offenders of dehydration and sugary excess in existence.

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Protip #1: Sleep Solutions

If you're having trouble getting yourself back into a regular sleep schedule before school starts (or even during the term, hehe) and can't seem to get out of your rut, never fear!

A quick fix to this is to take two mini tablets of Benadryl (a common allergy medication) an hour before your "goal" bedtime and before long you'll notice you're drowsy and ready for sleep. Tada! You've established an earlier bedtime, and the next night(s) will be much easier.

If you can't find Benadryl, most common allergy medications will do the same thing assuming they're not the "non-drowsy" type, and if you're particularly sensitive to medications, like me, you'll find that even non-drowsy medications have this side effect to some extent.

A word of caution: Some people feel the need to do this multiple times because for whatever reason they can't seem to get to sleep the next nights, so I will warn you taking Benadryl as a pseudo-sleep med has the potential to make you dependent on the medication, so I'd advise against using this more than once.

If taking strange medicine is not your cup of tea, there are other ways to keep yourself from staring at the ceiling for four hours while wishing desperately to be able to sleep:

1. If you shower at night, make sure you take your shower a good 30-60 minutes before you plan to sleep. The hot water from the shower will wake you up a little, and that's no good for those who want to get to bed. The same thing goes for brushing your teeth, washing your face, flossing, mouthwashing, etc.

2. It's never good to sleep on an empty stomach, and trying to sleep while your stomach is really not productive. Eating dinner a few hours before bedtime is usually the best solution. Also, eating before bed is very sort of hit-or-miss as you're already tired and the process of eating will either make you sleepier or wake you up.

3. Thinking before bed is only natural, BUT YOU MUST RESIST. By thinking about things, whether they're tomorrow's agenda, your boyfriend's dick, or whatever, stimulating your brain is not the way to convince your body you're ready to be in a comatose state for multiple hours. Try thinking of a blank black screen and nothing else. Slow your breathing and focus on the black. I know this sounds really stupid but don't knock it 'til ya try it.

4. Make sure you pee before bed. Even if you don't think you need to, try anyway. There are very few things worse than being in a comfortable bed and suddenly realizing you have a full bladder. Such things include being eaten alive by herbivores and their herbivorous teeth (the horror!). Trust me on this. I am the closest thing to an expert.

5. Exercise is a good way to get yourself tired enough to want to hit the hay. Even if it's in the morning to wake yourself up, it takes energy out of you that really needs to be remedied by a good night's sleep. However, avoid exercising too close to your intended bedtime. As I've said earlier, exercising wakes you up before it tires you out, so if you really like nighttime exercising try to keep it at least three hours before you actually sleep, to avoid your endorphins from wreaking havoc on your sleep schedule.

That's all for sleep solutions! If I missed anything, let me know, and I love love love love feedback (be nice, I have the emotional armor of a peach).