So you're bogged down with assignments, work and stress, and it's time for the first all-nighter of the school year. Get ready, 'cuz these cool cats are going to show you how it's done. You're welcome.
1. Shock
The first stage of an all-nighter is the realization of how much needs to be done. In this situation, it's 10:47 p.m. and you haven't started your 9-page appraisal for Philosophy class, for which you have been dozing off in 78 percent of the time. Your mission is to submit it in class, which is at 8 a.m. the next morning.
2. Begging your Prof
An inkling of hope makes you think your professor could grant you an extension so you could turn it in a few days late. You're desperate for any way you can prolong this daunting task.
3. Waiting for a response
You know you could be starting on the paper, but part of you is hopeful that you'll get an extension and the other part of you is just enjoying the calm before the storm.
4. Malicious rage
Your computer pings with an email and you see that your wish was not granted. Like a gunshot at the beginning of a race, you take off like a raging fireball. Your fingers are on fire. In a caffeine-driven frenzy, you start typing like a whirling dervish, putting any and every thought on your document. Soon, you're three and a fourth pages in, and even though it's not your most quality work, you don't care because at least you are getting somewhere.
5. Sheer Exhaustion
You pause to catch your breath and collect your thoughts. You realize that your forehead is beading with sweat and you really have to pee. You push away the thought of proofreading and take a bathroom/caffeine break.
6. Introspection
Sitting back down, you decide that you should probably check out how your work sounds so far. As you read what you've done, you realize how terrible your paper is. You start introspecting about all the stupid choices you have ever made, and it has all summed up to this moment. You feel like a failure.
7. Distraction
To block out this negative thinking, you get on Facebook, look around your work area, check your phone, trim your fingernails, basically doing anything that will distract you from the paper that's not getting any closer to being done.
8. Disappointment and giving up
The mass amount of fatigue and stress that you've been ignoring finally comes to the forefront of your mind. It's already 2:55 a.m. and you still have more than five pages left. You feel like Cinderella, locked in her room when she doesn't get to go to the ball. You're hopeless.
After wallowing in self-pity for a few moments, you walk to the bathroom to brush your teeth before you collapse in your bed. You've accepted the fact that you're going to have a major deduction for lateness and you might even fail the class.
9. Comeback time
As you lift your eyes to the mirror, you look at your bedraggled self. The bags under your eyes are the size of Texas and you've got this weird stickiness on the side of your face that a piece of hair is clinging to. However, beneath the exhausted dull in your eyes, you see a flame. You see motivation and gusto, and, for the first time in a while, you realize how much of a warrior you are.
10. More progress
You refill your caffeine drink and decide that you will not be sleeping tonight; you'll be conquering this stupid paper. So once again you start typing, yet with more discretion than before. You continue-- for your family, for your self, and for your cat.
11. Success and excitement
Hours later, you finish the last sentence and declare that YOU FLIPPING DID IT!!! It's 7:15 a.m. and you have enough time to print that sucker out, wash your face, and get to class. As you walk, you can't believe that you did it. You feel like one of those sunglass-wearing secret agents striding out of a building that is bursting into flames. Heck yes. Congratulations, you stunner.
