I've pulled many an all-nighter in my time, and while the gratification of my own longevity and determination is satisfactory enough to warrant doing it again, the sheer exhaustion that comes with all-nighters is enough to make me never want to procrastinate. In the spirit of community, I thought I would put down some things I learnt from my (too) many all-night study experiences.
Sleep is a wonderful thing. I'm not only saying here that sleep is necessary, but also that it just feels great. Does anyone else remember wanting to know what laying on a cloud feels like? A night of good sleep is the closest you'll get to ever finding out. At the end of every long day awaits a soft bed (or very firm bed, if you're still dorm-bound like I am) whose sole duty and function is to cradle your broken body and heal your soul for the new day to come... and it's FREE. Did I mention that sleep is free?
Commitment is key. Okay, so maybe this isn't the healthiest piece of advice I can give you, but it is one of the most useful. If you know that you're going to be up working for a long time, plan ahead. Being prepared for a sleepless night can minimise the permanent damage you do to your body and mind. Nap beforehand, create the right kind of work environment, and stay focused. You can do this.
Stay hydrated. I never, ever do this right. Your brain is ~75% water. Need I say more?
Feed yourself. Stress is often the reaction to fear, and fear is a paralytic. Stress with exhaustion is like a toddler with too many Pixy Stix - you can only imagine how much worse the fear is, too. And that leads many people (ME ME ME) to prioritise getting stuff done over life-sustaining habits like eating. Energy isn't just for walking and running, okay? Your brain needs 20% of your daily caloric intake to function. There's no point in burning that midnight oil to write 10 pages of crap. (Here's a shoutout to roommates like mine, who bring macaroni and cheese to the library at 1AM on the nights that I'm struggling! She knows what's up.)
Try and keep things together for the people around you. Not getting enough sleep makes me an incredibly difficult person to be around. Just because you're staying up late and scrambling to get stuff done doesn't mean everyone else is, too. Exhaustion will make you feel like your needs are the only needs that have to be met, and you have to remind yourself that they are not. When you start to get cranky, remember that nobody else should pay the price for your procrastination. And if other people are breaking down from being as exhausted as you - cut them some slack, you know what they're going through.
Know when to draw the line. It may seem like the end of the world if you don't submit that math assignment or miss turning in that paper, but cut yourself some slack. Pointless procrastination aside, if things are really getting out of control you have every right to take a step back from it all and put yourself first. It's not worth sacrificing your health and mental well-being for a letter grade.
Happy (not) sleeping, everybody!
