How do you stay awake?

[Critical Mass]

You don't have this problem if you simply refuse to study.

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[Bernie3144]

One 2 Liter of Diet Mountain Dew is the way to go. Although ephedra, when it was widely available, was prob. the best. O how I miss heart palpitations.

 

[Jason O]

Do you do fresh-squeezed, or is V8 acceptable?

I kind of hate vegetables, and can't think of a whole lot of them that I could stomach in liquid form. I usually have to introduce them into some other, much more delicious food in my own naughty, sneaky way. Omelettes are one way (mushrooms+spinach+tomatoes+onions+cheddar = heaven)....today, I made a roast with carrots, onions, and mushrooms and the beef juice made the vegs that much more palatable.

V8 is nothing but salt. Plus, when they pasteurize it, you kill all of the good stuff that you learn about in biochemistry. I grew up hating veggies. I can remember dinner time as a kid, and I would sneak all of the vegetables under the table and put them on this metal thing that helped you slide new sections onto the table.

I started off with a mix of fruit juices and vegetables, and then started trying to add all of the vegetables that I never would eat like kale, and turnips, and beets. Now I can't go on without it.

Give it a try for 2 weeks, once a day. That plus good hydration, good sleep, and exercise will make you a study machine.

 

[Dayfed]

cocaine!

 

[Ersatzious]

I was just wondering what everyone's strategy is for keeping yourself awake while studying? I find it hard to focus on things I read because I keep nodding off then I forget everything I just read.

Besides the obvious coffee injections, does anyone have a unique and interesting strategies?

Allow me to recommend ThinkGeek with its special section dedicated to caffeine supplies.

My favorites:
Penguin Mints
Caffeinated Soap
BAWLS!

 

[Kfire326]

Like others here, if I find myself nodding off, I'll go to bed. If I don't feel TOO tired, but want to prevent myself from getting tired soon, I'll take a cold shower. Otherwise, nothing but adrenaline. No coffee, no adderall, no energy drinks... nada.

During crunch time, I would sleep for 10-12 hours, study for 12 hours straight (intermittent breaks), sleep 12, study 12, etc. until the exam. I thrive under pressure.

 

[pagemmapants]

A roommate of mine got me hooked on vegetable juicing. Once I started it, my energy level basically doubled. I could concentrate better, and for longer periods of time. I needed less sleep. I drink a glass or two every day. Once school starts, I MUST make 20 minutes every other day to do it.

Give it a try this summer. It will change your life. You will never go back to coffee and other junk.

TJs sells some kind of green juice which looks like lawn cuttings but tastes great and wakes you up like crazy. it's kind of like the wheatgrass from Jamba, only you can drink TONS of it and it's not like $1 per oz.

 

[pagemmapants]

One 2 Liter of Diet Mountain Dew is the way to go. Although ephedra, when it was widely available, was prob. the best. O how I miss heart palpitations.

You can still get ephedra OTC in asthma treatments.

 

[polycon7]

Its amazing what water can do...at least in my experience. Just constantly drinking water works better than caffeine for me. I quit coffee altogether, and trust me I lived on it.

 

[lina123321]

short nap always works

 

[beauregard]

what? who gets adderall in an urgent care facility - for no reason???

Yeah, that does seem pretty odd doesn't it? But they do! They'll give a month's supply and make a referral to a psychiatrist. But then a few months goes by, they were too busy to ever go to the psychiatrist (read: supply ran out) and they come back for just one more refill before they go to the psychiatrist.

It's pretty ridiculous.

Of course, we also have people who come for their steady stream of almost no questions asked Lorcet supply.

 

[phomp]

same here - after about midnight I can't study in a library anymore because I need to pace and talk out loud (yes to myself). I look like a crazy person (thus in the privacy of my apartment) but it works.

my god, wow, i've never heard anyone say that before, but i do that exactly. i'm really glad i've finally found out that i'm not the only one...only, i have to do that all of the time...not just after midnight

 

[DocBR]

Naps in between studying. Also, I used to study at the science library at my school, I would run up and down the 3 flights of stairs every hour or so to keep me alert.

 

[SB100]

Naps in between studying. Also, I used to study at the science library at my school, I would run up and down the 3 flights of stairs every hour or so to keep me alert.

LOL, I do laps in mine

 

[omegaxx]

> How do you stay awake?

I don't. Resistance is futile.

Seriously though, I just get more sleep.

 

[Crazy4F1]

chocolate. and lots of it.

 

[lina123321]

chocolate. and lots of it.

choc's good...dark chocolate is best...

 

[etf]

grande espresso + oreo shake at tully's. 1 of those bad boys keeps actually makes my hands shake.

 

[Crazy4F1]

choc's good...dark chocolate is best...

toblerone got me through the mcat. and dark chocolate is supposedly good (comparatively?) for your heart!

 

[jochi1543]

toblerone got me through the mcat.

Cadbury got me to size 18. (ok, in designer.....in vanity, I was 16 ).

 

[phomp]

coffee and chocolate put me to sleep. anyone else have this problem?

 

[apnea]

^^ yeah, actually. Hot coffee does me in. Iced coffee is like crack, but the hot stuff puts me right out. i suck back hot green tea like mad though

i can't eat chocolate. i'm already too fat

i run about 5k every morning, i looooove my treadmill i've LITERALLY worn a light path in my carpet from pacing around with an extra 10 pounds of books in my hands...i study with my 4 year old. She's fascinated by how her world works, and it's a good way to reaffirm prior knowledge. Anyone with a 4 year old knows it's damn near impossible to fall asleep when they're awake

 

[PeripateticMD]

I get up and walk around, maybe do some jumping jacks, grab something to eat, maybe go outside for a bit, then I go back and study.
If that doesn't work, I go find something else to do for 10-15 minutes.
If that doesn't work, I may go take a half hour nap.

I try to avoid studying when I know that I'm going to be sleepy.
I have yet to try to study in the wee hours of the night or morning. I think the latest I've studied this year was 1-2 am, but that was just because I felt like staying up late and then sleeping in the next morning.

The eating part puts me to sleep, but I'll often just run around the block. For some reason, getting my body moving wakes me up. Another thing I do sometimes (which sounds crazy), is organize my studying and sleep for 2 hours, get up for one, study, then sleep for another 2, and so on. I actually remember everything that i fall asleep thinking of...

Also, I hate coffee, soft drinks, and most caffeinated things (except chocolate), so I sleep if i'm tired... and then i'm fairly awake the rest of the time .

 

[nabs86]

When I get really tired, I start talking to myself and pace in circles in my tiny apartment. I also make sure I exercise daily because I just feel sleepy all day if I don't. I think I'll have to try the bathroom trick. I never thought of that before haha.

 

[medicalmarvel]

nasty tasting cofffee. oh yeah, starbucks makes them really well (talking about the black ones....not the lattes, fraps, etc)

Why man? .. coffee is simply the fuel for your night cruising. i wonder whether you have tasted coffee enough for your suiting or not. if not, then i suggest, give a go for some days at a trot.. you will really discover something new.