How can I stay awake in college?

Question

I'm going to be a freshman in college this year and I want to get straight "A's". I know that it is incredibly hard to study for all of one's classes while also getting a good amount of sleep, so I'm looking to stay awake and study during the weekdays and make up the sleep during the weekend. The problem is that I tend to fall asleep if I'm even the slightest bit tired. Does anyone have any suggesstions as to what i could *legally* take to help me stay awake? Coffee, chocolate, energy drinks?

Thanks,

Matt

Answer 1

I like sugar-free AMP's, and in college I got up early and worked out so I would have energy throughout the day.  You can also try coffee with an extra shot of espresso, or just try to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night <hah, not that I ever got that>.  For me it was all about the exercise and an ice-cold shower afterward.  Best of luck to you in college.  

Answer 2

First you need to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep. No energy drink is going to sustain you for days without you crashing later.

Having said that caffeine will have to become your friend, so coffee in morning then some fizzy drink like Coke, Pepsi to carry you through morning.

You should also exercise as being fit will help you tolerate college stress better and will also aide in getting a good night sleep to recuperate.

Answer 3

get some caffeine pills from a trucker at your local truck stop.  

Answer 4

you're doing this all wrong, though. staying awake like that will only make you a worse student.

how do you get straight A's? you plan your courses well so that you dont overload on any one semester. you get plenty of sleep and treat your classwork like a job. dont let them freak you out, too many people fall for that

Answer 5

no doze, they are caffeine tablets work wonders

Answer 6

well I hate coffee. I like gas station french vanilla cappuchino though.

energy drinks rule. find ones that work best for you. drink as needed, don't just chug as they are too potent. I like putting Rockstar in a Thermos.

maybe bad advice, but I find a few screwdrivers (vodka & oj) help to get asleep. as does playing sports (working out isn't fun 4 me)

I find that caffeine pills are too strong, or at least, too hard to regulate over time.

A generic answer would indeed be to get into a habit of going to sleep at the same time. We are still stupid animals. Look at your dog. He gets upset when you change your patterns. There is  some wisdom there.

good lucky friend, hope you get your A's. remember though, the system isn't set up for Knowledge. It is set up for teaching teachers. That is not progress. Creative mothers always get lower grades cause they spend so much time on one subject... If you pass, you'll get the piece of paper that sais you're degreed. Thats all that is relevant, practically.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge" -Einstein

Answer 7

Don't try to make up sleep during the weekend, it wont work.  You need to have a disciplined, regular schedule for both sleep and study and be consistent with it.  Your body will hate you if you deprive it of sleep during the week whether you sleep more on the weekends or not, and both you and your grades will feel it.  

I generally rely on apples and peanut butter to help me get through drowsy evenings.  Avoid sugary things that will make you crash later.  I generally bring a granola bar or something to my classes with me just in case I get sleepy, because crashing then is a killer. >.<

Answer 8

COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR..awwwww!...lol. I do not know if your body is immune to caffeine...but its worth a shot

Answer 9

If your going to have energy drinks.   Drink the ones that say sugar free.

Diet Mountain Dew keeps me going.  The Regular Dew has sugar in it & it causes a crash of alertness.

Also I have had Excedrin to keep me awake in the morning classes.   Some aspirins have caffeine in them just in case you can't make it to the coffee machine before class.

Answer 10

The important idea is to get some sleep!! Contrary to most ideas of college students cramming all night will not help. If you still feel sleepy in class just sit in the front desk and try to participate, if there is a lecture then write notes lots of them occupy the mind so it wont let you rest.

Answer 11

Try to sleep night time 6-8 hrs, and you will be healthier, will stay awake daytime, and you can learn better and easier than before.

The coffee, chocolate and energy drinks are bad - if you eat/drink too much of them, you will be heavy fat and sick.

Answer 12

Why have drinks to make you stay awake

depending on your college hours as soon as you are done start studying go to bed earlier and maybe study a bit in the morning

I suggest that drinks like red bull and coffee is not going to help

even though people say that it is good  

Answer 13

No, Matt, you have it all wrong. What you suggest just will not work. Boredom creates sleepiness. You do need to have your regular eight hours of sleep per night. Work out a study timetable allowing yourself half hour periods with subjects varied. Make your studies into  a hobby. That's easily done. Stick to your regimen and you will get those straight A's. Aiming high will keep you abreast of lectures, so make sure you take advice of your school's 'how to study' information.

Answer 14

When my son was in college he would take like an hour power nap when he had time between classes and he said he would always feel refreshed. He tried energy drinks but they started affecting his heart rate and he had insomnia for a while so he stopped those.

Answer 15

Get as much rest as you can.  Try to squeeze in a 15-30 minute nap each day.  Take notes during class, because it's been proved to help students stay awake, and drink some caffeine.