Let's face it, at some point, whether you're an avid procrastinator or not, your college career will require an all-nighter. Personally, the week before spring break has forced me to withstand not one but two of these sleepless nights in order to get all my papers written and midterms studied for. Having somehow survived on no sleep, I thought I would list the different phases I went through during my all-nighters, which I'm sure any student can relate to.
1. Initial confidence
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2. The hunger
It's 2 a.m., you're not even close to being finished with your work, but your stomach decides it wants to feel empty. Wonderful. The only thing keeping you from going to the Waffle House near campus is knowing that your GPA will be less than the $3 in your wallet if you don't finish this assignment by morning. The generic brand trail mix you haven't touched all semester will have to suffice.
3. Temptation
4 a.m. and the espresso has finally worn off. Your bed has never looked more comfortable, and the temptation to just turn in what you have so you can at least get three to four hours of sleep is way too real. At this point, the only thing keeping you working is the thought of the nap (AKA coma) you'll take after class.
4. Panic mode
It's 6 a.m., which means you only have two hours till you have to go to class. Commence panic mode. These last hours are crucial and are usually when the most amount of work gets done. Nothing like pressure to motivate, am I right?
5. Going out in public
The time has come and your assignment is turned in. Now, arguably the most difficult phase, you must somehow stay awake during class. Not only that, but you also have to pretend like you're actually able to listen –– and care –– about anything your professor and fellow classmates are saying. This phase also usually includes one or more of the following: extreme crankiness, partial blindness, loss of what little coordination you previously possessed, etc.
6. Passing out
Class finally ended and you somehow made it out alive. Forget lunch, friends or whatever plans you had; the only thing that matters now is sleep. The one positive of going through an all-nighter is the nap/coma/hibernation you have afterward. Best sleep ever!
