Tips to help you pull an “All Nighter”

So, the day before your crucial exam, you realize that your knowledge of the subject is pretty much restricted to the course outline you received on the first day of classes. You deferred both your midterms and with panic, you realize that this final counts for 100% of your grade in this course. In a last ditch attempt to salvage your grade (coupled with the fear of a failing grade ruining your already falling GPA), you decide to pull what we call in university as – “The All – Nighter”.

An important thing you have to remember about all-nighters is that there is no room for panic. Panic leads to distraction causing you to lose focus and in all eventuality – you will fail. You have to control your fears and emotions – and concentrate only on the impossible task ahead – learning fifty chapters in a course where you skipped every class – in one night.

If you decide to go down the All – Nighter route, first of all – congratulations!! Fighting the biological need to sleep is not an easy task. From my own personal experiences – I will try to present to few tips and some good advice to help you keep your resolve to stay up the night before the exam.

1. The most important thing is to GET OUT OF YOUR ROOM/APARTMENT!! (As you can see – its #1 on my list). Basically, you need to get away from any place which has a bed or a couch. At 3 am in the morning, its very tempting to take a 20 minute ‘nap’ and before you know it- you will be snoozing through your exam.
2. Chew some gum. Gum keeps your mouth moving and helps you stay awake. Even better is to chew some minty gum. Somehow the refreshing mint flavour made me more alert.
3. DO NOT lie down and study. You will never stay awake – worse, you will probably drool on your books. Its best to stay up straight, preferably on a small, hard, uncomfortable chair. Large comfy office chairs with armrests are a big NO NO. You will probably find yourself sleeping curled up on the chair.
4. A highly effective technique I learnt from my Chinese friends in university. Apply some tiger balm under your nose, behind your ears and on your temples. The pungent feeling on your skin will definitely not let you sleep.
5. Try stimulating beverages like tea, coffee, energy/sports drinks, coke. This list is in increasing order of strength and efficacy and every subsequent drink should only be taken if the previous one fails to keep you up.. Many of my friends recommend red bull. Towards the end of my university life, I had practically become immune to all such drinks. In such cases try milk chocolate.
6. Study in a brightly lit room. Dim lights have a strangely hypnotic and sleep inducing effect on most people.
7. Study in a 24/7 library or some engineering lab (engineers generally come up with their brilliant ideas at odd hours of the night). Lots of people around means that you will probably feel self conscious about sleeping in public and more motivated to work. If you are using a computer, you will be less tempted to waste your time watching videos or playing games. You might also find friends to constantly wake you up when you fall asleep. In the end, its just soothing to watch other unfortunate souls like yourself suffer as well.
8. Stay away from warm cozy areas. If you don’t fall asleep on the spot, you might just find yourself longing for your warm bed back at home.
9. Stock yourself with lots of food and snacks. Munching on stuff keeps you awake and also replenishes all that energy your brain is using up by cramming a semester worth of information in one night.
10. Take short 5 minute breaks every 2 hours. Stretch your legs and take a short walk (preferably outside) Winters are the best – nothing like the cold icy blast of wind to wake up your senses.

I don’t really endorse all nighters – and doing it too often can actually ruin your physical and mental health. I believe that one should only pull an all – nighter in the most extreme case. (This of course does not apply to engineering students – for whom all – nighters are a way of life =) In the end, the best way to prepare for any exam is to start studying early!! Happy Cramming!!