Call me a square. I’ve never pulled an all-nighter. Not for partying reasons. Certainly not for academic reasons. I value my sleep.
So while I was never the bleary-eyed student bragging that they didn’t get a minute of sleep before the big exam, I found other ways to boost my success. (Note: please sleep before your exams. Sleep helps us retain and recall information).
From my experience, here are three ways to boost your academic success without losing sleep or your peace of mind:
1) Turn your assignments in on time.
Losing points for lateness is a complete waste of your time and effort. You still put in the work, don’t settle for partial credit.
2) Start your assignments the day you receive them.
Yes. Go home and start the assignment (emphasis on “start”) on the same day it is given to you.
If it’s a paper, locate your first three references.
For a stats assignment, open the dataset and make a list of the tests you’ll need to perform.
To prepare for an oral presentation, write out a quick overview of your key topics and how much time you intend to spend on each of them. When you wake up the next morning, you will feel incentivized to continue instead of paralyzed to start.
3) Ask for help.
Who’s in your network?
For tougher classes, initiate a group text with a handful (or all) of your peers. Free help from people committed to the same goals as you.
Nearly all professors offer office hours. Most students don’t go to them. Showing up shows you care and allows you to ask questions. Trust me, they’ll be glad to see you there.
Most schools offer free tutoring. Go. Even if you don’t need tutoring yet, meet a couple of the tutors. Ask them what they studied.
If this isn’t your speed, reach out to a private tutor. We’re pretty nice people and we’ve been in your shoes. We’re happy to work around your schedule and we’re eager to see you succeed.