College is infamous for many things—wild parties, hook-up culture and dealing with the lingering pressure to finally figure out a career path—but the one college struggle that affects nearly every student on a regular basis is the mounting workload. Regardless of how organized you are or how effectively you manage your time, it’s nearly impossible to avoid a few sleepless nights every semester. There will always be that one project you underestimated, that one paper you forgot about or that one test you really don’t feel prepared for. All-nighters can be difficult to accomplish effectively, but with practice—which you will unfortunately get plenty of throughout your undergraduate career—and if you follow these tips, pulling off all-nighters won’t cost you more than some snacks and a cup of coffee.
Take a brief nap beforehand
Staying up all night is pretty exhausting, but the peak of difficulty is in the early a.m., when you haven’t rested in almost 24 hours and your eyes refuse to stay open. Take about an hour to shut your eyes, relax and refresh before you get to work. While it might seem like a waste of precious time that you could be using to get a head start on your busy night, a short nap will actually keep you focused and help you work more efficiently. Just make sure to set an alarm, or two, so you don’t accidentally sleep through your entire evening.
Find the correct location
Your location is the factor that has the most impact on your productivity and ability to focus. If you’re surrounded by too many people or if the room is filled with too many distractions, you might be tempted to procrastinate. Equally, if the room is too quiet, too dark or too comfortable, you might fall asleep. While the perfect working environment varies from person to person, there are some standard tricks to help you keep your study momentum. Try to find a plastic or wooden seat in front of a desk or table in a bright room that is far away from any beds or sofas. Sometimes, it also helps to work in a public study area like the University Center; it’s a lot harder to fall asleep when there are other people around. Plus, it can be nice to be surrounded by strangers in the same boat as you.
Find the best soundtrack for your evening
Listening to classical or low-tempo electronic music drowns out distracting nighttime sounds and helps you focus on what really matters: finishing your assignment. Plus, having a mellow soundtrack to your all-nighter can actually be pretty beneficial. According to Psychology Today, mellow, low-tempo instrumental music improves student performance on cognitive tasks. If you have a Spotify account, check out the whole genre of Spotify-curated playlists dedicated to focusing, particularly “Brain Food” and “Late Night Focus.” If not, go to Pandora and create a radio station for classical or other instrumental music.
Unplug yourself from all distractions
Turn off your phone, log off of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitter, Vine or whatever social media site you’re on right now, and get to work. Trust me, while it’s tempting at 3 a.m. to get caught in a social media-lurking cycle, finding out the relationship status of your cousin’s friend’s girlfriend’s brother is not that important right now. Fight the temptation to procrastinate, tell your friends—who really shouldn’t be awake either—that you’ll talk to them later, and focus. Remember, the less time you waste on distractions, the sooner you can go to bed.
Food, water, coffee, repeat
Food and water will be your best friends throughout the evening. Stock up on brain food like fruits, vegetables and nuts, and snack away whenever you feel like you need an energy boost. Avoid fatty foods and carbs to avoid feeling sluggish and sleepy. Remember to wash everything down with lots of water to stay hydrated throughout the evening. While it’s tempting to chug coffee throughout the evening, just keep one double shot espresso from Starbucks by your side, and reserve it for moments of desperation and pure exhaustion. Drinking too much caffeine can make you shaky and crash in the middle of your all-nighter, so it’s advised to only use it when absolutely necessary.
Resist the urge to rest your eyes for a bit
As tempting as it is to say, “I’m going to take a two hour nap and wake up at 5 a.m. to finish the rest,” trust me, you probably won’t get up. Fight through the urge to rest your eyes and finish before you even consider getting rest. You’ll have enough time to sleep after your paper is turned in. Set up alarms at certain checkpoints, for example, two hours before you have to get up and start your day, in case you do accidentally fall asleep.
Reward yourself
That’s right, reward yourself. You just successfully pulled off an all-nighter. Once your task is complete and your day is over, have yourself a well-deserved nap. Turn off your phone, turn down the air conditioner, grab your coziest blanket, and cuddle up with some rest and relaxation.
