tips for cramming and/or pulling all-nighters
because sometimes it’s just inevitable
clean yourself off. at the very least, wash your face and your hair. if you can, take a cold shower or bath, brush and floss your teeth, anything you can do to help you feel as squeaky clean and not-gross as possible
change into something clean. sometimes pajamas are nice, but wearing an actual outfit that you could go outside in can help keep you awake and make you feel more ready to be productive. personally, i find jeans and an oversized sweater to be a good compromise between comfort and looking (at least a little bit) put together
bonus: put on shoes. it makes you feel like you’re in school or at a library, somewhere that you’re expected to get work done, not just at home where you can slack off. also, it’s a lot harder to fall asleep with shoes on
clear out a study space. if your desk or the table that you usually work on is cluttered with stuff and you know it’ll take more than ten minutes to tidy up, don’t bother. just find a clear spot on the floor, shove everything that you’re not gonna need to the side, and settle in there
if you need to use your electronics, use an app like selfcontrol or cold turkey to block distracting sites so you don’t spend time procrastinating. if you’re worried about your phone, you can place it somewhere you can’t easily reach, put it in a box, or use an app like forest that punishes you if you use your phone (focusnow is a good free alternative)
get together everything you’re going to need for the night
textbooks, notebooks, folders, binders, and whatever else you’ll actually be working on. if you have online assignments, download them to your computer, or print them out and keep them next to you for reference
keep a stack of scrap paper or a dry-erase board next to you, along with your favorite pens, highlighters, pencils, a pencil sharpener and an eraser. if you have a magnifying glass or glasses, get those too. they make reading a lot easier when your eyes start to tire out
electronics and chargers. try to get an extension cord or chargers long enough that they can reach to where you’re sitting (especially if you have a computer). you might want to keep your phone out of reach so you’re not distracted, but it can be helpful to ask friends for help or clarify the details of your assignments. if you have a speaker, get that too. it’ll come in handy later
water. not only will it keep you hydrated, reduce the risk of sleep deprivation or stress related headaches, and make you feel less sluggish, it’ll keep you up and moving if you have to go the bathroom every few hours. if you can, keep a cup next to you and fill up a pitcher with water that you can keep nearby, so you don’t have to keep getting up for refills
you’re already depriving yourself of sleep, so you have to make sure that you’re keeping your body fueled with plenty of food. check out this post for a list of study snacks that you can keep near you while you work
now get to work, and for the love of god, don’t fall asleep
keep the lights on as bright as you can, so it feels more like daytime. if you feel really sluggish, spend a few seconds staring directly into a light (bonus points if it’s blue). it helps signal to your brain that it’s time to be waking up and doing things, not time to go to sleep
turn on your speakers and play some music (or if you can’t, put on headphones and keep it on low volume). i like to start out the night with something motivational and move on to 80′s classic rock, or throwback 2000′s and 2010′s hits if you really want to have fun and sing along
if the lyrics are too distracting, try instrumental music or songs with vocals in a language that you don’t speak. if you want something that’s a bit more energetic or familiar, listen to vitamin string quartet, or 8bit covers if you need something a bit more electronic
if you want, set an alarm on your phone to go off every 30 minutes or so. it’s a good reminder to take a break, refill your water, use the bathroom, or switch subjects, and if you accidentally fall asleep, it’ll wake you up
try to move around a bit on your breaks. personally, i like to turn on a throwback hit or a song i really like and dance around the room for a few minutes, but even just walking to the bathroom or standing up and stretching can make a big difference
if you get all of your work done and still have time left, you might want to take a nap. it’s definitely a good idea if you have a few hours, so that you can get through a full cycle of sleep. if it’s only half an hour or so, it could be nice to lay down for a few minutes and rest, but it could also make you feel more sluggish. personally, i like using the time to make myself a good breakfast, have a cup of tea, meditate, or take a cold shower
these are things that have been helpful to me in the past, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily going to work for you. everybody is different, and the most important thing is that you take care of yourself and stay safe
