How To Write A Paper The Night Before It's Due

Unfortunately, for us poor souls who go to school in the North finals are among us. And while exams and presentations are absolutely horrible, let's not forget about the third menace in the end-of-semester death trifecta: term papers. And the only thing worse than the eight-page research paper due for your stupid, pointless core class is the eight-page research paper due for your stupid, pointless core class that you left until the night before it's due. But, wait! Before you run off in search of transfer paperwork or the first flight home, check out these 10 steps to getting your paper done all in one night.

1. Cry a little bit.

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Then get a coffee and settle in for a long night.

2. Look at the assignment details and split everything up into steps.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F05%2F07%2F635982594283978021-771951402_everything-is-fine.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=926&h=8f7e91f9ef15a15277ffaa9f77e7d0ef9daf9a9f219ccb1ba3b3c38084a579cf&size=980x&c=3154993523 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F05%252F07%252F635982594283978021-771951402_everything-is-fine.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D926%26h%3D8f7e91f9ef15a15277ffaa9f77e7d0ef9daf9a9f219ccb1ba3b3c38084a579cf%26size%3D980x%26c%3D3154993523%22%7D" expand=1] Studies show that breaking up a large task into smaller ones leads to higher levels of morale and greater success. (I just made that up now, please do not fact-check this.)

3. Make a plan of attack.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F05%2F07%2F6359825925776216521082211391_giphy.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=543&h=1e42b18bbad03ea427a0da6638c11b7a0bfb15b36704737c18e6a454c826bb85&size=980x&c=1629830788 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F05%252F07%252F6359825925776216521082211391_giphy.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D543%26h%3D1e42b18bbad03ea427a0da6638c11b7a0bfb15b36704737c18e6a454c826bb85%26size%3D980x%26c%3D1629830788%22%7D" expand=1] Remind yourself that you got this!

4. Take a short break to stress-cry.

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The operative word here is "short."

5. Get started writing.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fblogs%2F1%2F2014%2F03%2Fwriter-moments13.gif&ho=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn1.matadornetwork.com&s=1003&h=02289396f2e8dcb5b6ce76222662ad066b54b153be3c9fcdf6c82821afd018d0&size=980x&c=2128210612 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Fblogs%252F1%252F2014%252F03%252Fwriter-moments13.gif%26ho%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcdn1.matadornetwork.com%26s%3D1003%26h%3D02289396f2e8dcb5b6ce76222662ad066b54b153be3c9fcdf6c82821afd018d0%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2128210612%22%7D" expand=1] Good luck and godspeed.

6. Keep writing.

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7. Cry one last time.

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You deserve it! You've been working hard.

8. Finish up writing.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F05%2F07%2F6359825990508279051250288592_JmWlE.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=562&h=20ebd5a4e85d9806c3003f13bcd51b2ab5bf5a5e0f5b6ffc2caca9a4018d973b&size=980x&c=616581005 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F05%252F07%252F6359825990508279051250288592_JmWlE.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D562%26h%3D20ebd5a4e85d9806c3003f13bcd51b2ab5bf5a5e0f5b6ffc2caca9a4018d973b%26size%3D980x%26c%3D616581005%22%7D" expand=1] You're in the homestretch, now.

9. Check everything.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F05%2F07%2F6359826000129531511327982125_giphy.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=760&h=09110b25f2dc5aaa67f601cbd0e00649278b9f64db398157ee2b174bd778c9d8&size=980x&c=1594351967 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F05%252F07%252F6359826000129531511327982125_giphy.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D760%26h%3D09110b25f2dc5aaa67f601cbd0e00649278b9f64db398157ee2b174bd778c9d8%26size%3D980x%26c%3D1594351967%22%7D" expand=1]You didn't put yourself through hell just to turn in a paper with grammatical errors and missing citations, now did you?

10. Print/submit and go to sleep.

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Get yourself in bed and rest up! If you're anything like me, you'll wind up doing the same thing again tomorrow.