How to NOT fall asleep in lecture...?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
B

BushBaby

Nipplelina
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2002
Messages
3,023
Reaction score
3
Advice on how to stay awake during lecture?
Members don't see this ad.
 
BushBaby said:
Advice on how to stay awake during lecture?
Click to expand...

Skip lecture. Or stop staying up late. Either way works wonderfully.
 
Good question...

I don't generally fall asleep if my mind is actively engaged in something (e.g., writing notes or a really, really good professor)... since many of us will have course syllabi that basically outline everything, thus limiting the need for high-speed note taking, then how do we avoid falling asleep as we follow along in a didactic lecture???
 
Members don't see this ad :)
kinetic said:
Skip lecture. Or stop staying up late. Either way works wonderfully.
Click to expand...

Fancy ideas... just might work. Thanks kinetic. Now... the next challenge is to work on putting this into practice. :D
 
get a coffee and sit in the front and try to actively learn, like when he says some ish try to connect it to other ish and integrate. I personally dont take notes because med school lectures are so fast that if u take notes, u are so busy writing that u really dont learn anything or retain anything, thats when suscribing to a scribe service is helpful.

later
 
BushBaby said:
Advice on how to stay awake during lecture?
Click to expand...

girl howz it going??
 
I try to focus on each slide (we have powerpt lectures) and come up with questions I could ask about each slide when the lecture is over....(I don't ask most of these questions, but it helps me focus and understand the lecture better).
 
lotanna said:
girl howz it going??
Click to expand...

The summer program is going well. It's almost over though,thank goodness. I don't think I can stand to do this anymore.

I need a vacation NOW. We already have our fall schedule and right now I'm trying to plan a weekend cruise in october during columbus day weekend. We don't get that day off from school though. Not sure what to do. PLUS, I have an exam the week after. So I plan to NOT fall behind and continuously study so that when the exam comes, I am not stuck cramming.

Do you think I can make that cruise happen?
 
As for NOT falling asleep:

I try to focus on the lecture but most times after lunch I get the itis. :sleep: I think it's a disease I have...

I will try that intergrating thing to see if it works when school starts. I thought if I previewed the material before going to class, that it would help me stay awake by feeling more "in the know".

I hate taking notes in lecture because as omarsaleh66 said, the lecturer is so fast that when I try to scratch down every detail I end up not really listening and missing out on valuable info.

I thought of snacks and what not. I don't drink coffee so that idea won't help me much.
 
Actually, I've learned that I need to eat a very small lunch (usually a salad or veggie soup) in order to stay awake...something to keep the hunger away, but nothing that will sit in your stomach like a brick and induce a food coma. If I actually feel full, I will fall asleep after lunch.
 
The biggest thing that helped me, aside from going to bed early, was being up to date in class. Making sure you are caught up on the material as well as familiar with what the next lecture will be on will allow you to absorb more information during lecture. Not only does this allow you to stay awake but it also makes lecture a significant part of learning, reducing studying time.
 
i totally agree with medikit....even though I wish I would do that all the time, I rarely do it....but if you walk in the lecture knowing atleast a little about the material, you'll take in the things you missed while reading the book on your own instead of having to focus on so many things for example....im still an undergrad btw, but i guess it works for everyone...:)
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Medikit said:
The biggest thing that helped me, aside from going to bed early, was being up to date in class. Making sure you are caught up on the material as well as familiar with what the next lecture will be on will allow you to absorb more information during lecture. Not only does this allow you to stay awake but it also makes lecture a significant part of learning, reducing studying time.
Click to expand...


This is what I figured. And I hope I can stick to the "preview, lecture, review" format of learning.
 
Draw eyes on your eyelids with a magic marker and then close 'em, that way everyone will think you're awake and you can catch some zzzz-it's the best of both worlds.

Oooh, you could pay the person next to you to slap you every time you nod off, just make sure to pay them promptly or they'll be too aggressive next time.
 
got the same problem here especially with the after lunch class.... i 've tried the small lunch method and i used to drink A LOT of COCO COLA :D love that stuff.... anyway, now a days none of these things work....
this is so hard especially if the prof has a low deep voice. puts me to :sleep:

:laugh:
 
I get some of my most refreshing sleep during lecture. In fact, sometimes I even sleep during good lectures.

Seriously, one thing I do is put my notes away and pay attention like have to remember the lecture without taking any. Often at test time, I can remember the lecturer's words verbatim. Works well with boyfriends too.
 
Sit in the front row, it keeps you accountable. When you sit in the middle or the back, you don't feel as engaged and are more apt to doze off or let your mind wander. Sitting where the prof can see you makes you feel guilty if you start chatting with your neighbor, or fall asleep.
 
Sweet Tea said:
Actually, I've learned that I need to eat a very small lunch (usually a salad or veggie soup) in order to stay awake...something to keep the hunger away, but nothing that will sit in your stomach like a brick and induce a food coma. If I actually feel full, I will fall asleep after lunch.
Click to expand...
Exactly. I have the same problem. If I skip lunch, or eat light, I feel a bit hungry, but my brain is much more alert.

Damn insulin coma!

1-2pm during the day is the worst. Circ Rhyt. are usually at an all time low. Just in time for lunch to kick my butt into nap mode. Something even active note-taking can't help! :eek:
 
Doc Ivy said:
Sit in the front row, it keeps you accountable. When you sit in the middle or the back, you don't feel as engaged and are more apt to doze off or let your mind wander. Sitting where the prof can see you makes you feel guilty if you start chatting with your neighbor, or fall asleep.
Click to expand...
Tried that too, but a food coma cannot overcome this, plus it is embarrassing to spasmodically jolt out of a dream right in front of the professor. :laugh: :D
 
I normally don't fight the urge to fall asleep. I'll just let myself take a 10 minute nap. Sure you miss the 10 minutes where you were sleeping, but then I really remember the 2 hours after my little doze.

I fugure it is better to miss 10 minutes than to miss several hours because I am concentrating on fighting the urge to sleep.
 
BushBaby said:
The summer program is going well. It's almost over though,thank goodness. I don't think I can stand to do this anymore.

I need a vacation NOW. We already have our fall schedule and right now I'm trying to plan a weekend cruise in october during columbus day weekend. We don't get that day off from school though. Not sure what to do. PLUS, I have an exam the week after. So I plan to NOT fall behind and continuously study so that when the exam comes, I am not stuck cramming.

Do you think I can make that cruise happen?
Click to expand...


but at least ur into the swing of things. I'll be on the SNMA executive board at my schl this fall, so should be interesting.

I also want to go on a cruise, hopin for labor day weekend, but not sure, I dont get that friday off, but i guess i could skip class that day :idea: Monday is a holiday so thats good plus i've a quiz or is it an exam like wed...hmm what to do?? :confused:

I think u can make the cruise happen, since u plannin ahead, u can get the notes, and spend more time studying the week b4. It'll mean longer hrs, but hey anything for a cruise right? I know I cant wait, wanted to go in Aug, but i'll settle for sep :D
 
lotanna said:
but at least ur into the swing of things. I'll be on the SNMA executive board at my schl this fall, so should be interesting.

I also want to go on a cruise, hopin for labor day weekend, but not sure, I dont get that friday off, but i guess i could skip class that day :idea: Monday is a holiday so thats good plus i've a quiz or is it an exam like wed...hmm what to do?? :confused:

I think u can make the cruise happen, since u plannin ahead, u can get the notes, and spend more time studying the week b4. It'll mean longer hrs, but hey anything for a cruise right? I know I cant wait, wanted to go in Aug, but i'll settle for sep :D
Click to expand...


I will be missing my biochem class on the friday before the cruise and the monday I get back from the cruise. I plan to give a classmate a tape recorder to record the lectures for me. I will luckily be back in time on monday to attend anatomy lab (which can't be tape recorded).

I think planning ahead definitely works. If you have the course syllabus and you know the topics that will be covered, you can do a little prep before you leave and when you get back you are able to fall back into the swing of things.

Taking cruises/holiday mid-semester is defintely not going to be the way to go, but we need to let our hair down once in a while. Because I'm in medical school doesn't mean I can't have some kind of fun. I do know that in the future i won't be able to attend every single event/vacation planned but we are still early in the game so I can take advantage of my free time during the first year.

I can't wait for school to start though. :thumbup:
 
BushBaby said:
Advice on how to stay awake during lecture?
Click to expand...

stay home...

it was virtually impossible for me to stay up during lecture.....thus i decided to skip all lectures mid-first yr. Best decision ever.

but if anything.....u can read up on the lecture before hand (will make the lecture more interesting) , get some caffeine pills, and a good night rest. And of course sit in the front row.
 
Hmm, im seriously considering putting myself into further debt to get a laptop. That way the option of gaming during a boring lecture is always there.
 
i always find when i start nodding off that looking around the classroom, looking at what thers are doing and looking at other people nodding off keeps me awake (and amused). also, i tend to go to the gym during lunch and eating lunch during class keeps me awake and attentive. :cool:
 
kinetic said:
Skip lecture. Or stop staying up late. Either way works wonderfully.
Click to expand...
Not true. I have slept 12 hours after exam, rested on the weekend and still fallen asleep in class. I think I have a sleeping problem.
 
MeganRose said:
I think I have a sleeping problem.
Click to expand...


For real. I'm thinking of getting myself tested. I am not sure what causes it. I mean I just get reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal sleepy during the day. I am one who will definitely benefit from a mid-day siesta system.
 
SaltySqueegee said:
Tried that too, but a food coma cannot overcome this, plus it is embarrassing to spasmodically jolt out of a dream right in front of the professor. :laugh: :D
Click to expand...

This, unfortunately, is another problem of mine. I did this sitting in the front row of a lecture given by a Colonel promotable (that would be a soon-to-be General). Not such a good thing to do. I think I need to seek help as well...
 
full dose of Ritalin
heck, just sit right infront of the class, and wear a fluorescent yellow/orange shirt..works all the time
 
hold a large cup of coffee on your left hand... it will serve 2 purposes; drink it while you are awake so it will keep you awake, or it will spill all over your pants if you fall asleep. it works for me, especially if you are sitting on the front row. having the prof giving you the look when you fall asleep in his lecture and spilling coffee all over your pants is a damn good drive for me to stay awake.
 
1. wireless internet
2. constant intake of food & caffeine
3. sleeping in when you're just going to fall asleep anyway :sleep:
 
Honestly, if you know you are going ot fall asleep in class...then don't go... Just stay home and sleep...

This may be a repeat reply, if so, sorry!
 
if you dont go, you will never know what the prof said;
if you go and sleep, at least you will have some idea what the prof said, unless you really totally pass out the entire class, but most students dont.
not to mention that if you keep skipping, you will get into a habit that will cost you the year. skipping classes can get quite addictive.
 
My school has a student-run transcript service so in essence we really do not miss anything that the professor said...
 
I got voted most likely to be asleep during class by my classmates so take what i say with a grain of salt. I find just giving in and sleeping works really well :D . Seriously though, I have a good 50 minutes of being able to pay 100% attention after I take a nap. On a side note, I finally went to a doctor about this sleeping stuff. He thinks i have restless leg syndrome which is keeping me out of stage 3, 4 and rem sleep at night which is why I wake up feeling like a truck ran over me, then backed up and did it again. For those of you who are getting the proper amount of sleep at night but still can't seem to stay awake in class you may want to think about going to a sleep clinic. I'll let you all know how it works out for me.

peace
 
i used to go to every single class, and some days i could stay awake and others i just couldnt. so now i skip a few a week. i find that if i stay home i can get through the lectures faster than the professor can anyway. and if the professor says something really vital like, "this is a test question" or "this is a must-know" someone will usually send out an email and let everyone know . . . or i'll just borrow someone's note service notes. why pay for them when you can just borrow them? :oops: i'm not really advocating skipping class, however. i think its best to go if you can stay awake, but i figure its quality over quanity. skipping a few a week helps me stay focused for the ones i do go to. :thumbup:
 
if lecture is putting you to sleep, stop going and see how studying at home works for you for a lil bit. if you're going to the lecture hall and zoning out the whole time, you've completely wasted several hours of your day, and you're going to end up teaching it to yourself later anyways.

with me there's an inverse relationship between lectures attended and performance :p

some people learn best during lectures, for some its completely useless. find out where you fit in that spectrum.
 
BushBaby said:
I will be missing my biochem class on the friday before the cruise and the monday I get back from the cruise. I plan to give a classmate a tape recorder to record the lectures for me. I will luckily be back in time on monday to attend anatomy lab (which can't be tape recorded).

I think planning ahead definitely works. If you have the course syllabus and you know the topics that will be covered, you can do a little prep before you leave and when you get back you are able to fall back into the swing of things.

Taking cruises/holiday mid-semester is defintely not going to be the way to go, but we need to let our hair down once in a while. Because I'm in medical school doesn't mean I can't have some kind of fun. I do know that in the future i won't be able to attend every single event/vacation planned but we are still early in the game so I can take advantage of my free time during the first year.

I can't wait for school to start though. :thumbup:
Click to expand...


I have a feeling the PM button is not working!
 
lol ths thread is pretty useful. no matter what most ppl say, i feel that lecture will help you if you stay awake and preview the materials alittle bit
 
I know some people think it's disrespectful, but I usually eat during class to stay awake. Nothing super-crinkly or noisy or odorific...gummi bears, chocolate covered raisins, yogurt covered raisins a banana, a cup of tea. Avoid things that are wrapped or unwrap your food before class...that way people around you won't be annoyed...yeah, I went to school with some pretty anal people who would shoot you dirty looks if you unwrapped your food during lecture because they missed that second of the prof's ramblings.

Then...there's the chewing gum...although there was this one time I fell asleep while chewing the gum and started to drool...
 
BananaSplit said:
I know some people think it's disrespectful, but I usually eat during class to stay awake. Nothing super-crinkly or noisy or odorific...gummi bears, chocolate covered raisins, yogurt covered raisins a banana, a cup of tea.
Click to expand...


How about a pastrami sandwich? That would be hilarious to see someone pull out a 10 inch sub and start eating it. :laugh:
 
The low-carb diets are perfect for staying awake during lectures; your blood sugar does not change as much if you do not eat a lot of carbs. Eat a high protein breakfast and bring low carb snacks. If you are overtired at the outset, have some caffeine but take it without any sugar.
 
Adderrol. Ridalin. If that is how you spell either of those.
 
Pound coffee all day. Or just sleep in, wake up when you feel like it, and buy a board review book to study from in addition to your syllabus. You will be golden and not nearly as pissed off about life as your more unfortunate classmates who get up at 6 for lecture everyday.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

D
How do I adjust to medical school lectures
Replies
12
Views
2K
Styrene
Styrene
TXMS2
MS0 who will be starting in the Fall, question on how to spend my time? Read all please.
2
Replies
60
Views
3K
la flame
la flame
T
MD & DO Image occlusion of lecture slides
Replies
4
Views
2K
parquetshorts
P
A
Annotating lecture notes
Replies
2
Views
744
aayz345
A
D
MD & DO Is your school going to be in-person this Fall?
Replies
2
Views
850
Goro
Goro
Top