Due to my inherent laziness, I have always procrastinated when it came to school. Well, this week with 3 exams I was utterly unprepared for, I hit an all time high (or low?). Pulled 3 all nighters this week, one Monday, one Wednesday night, and one Thursday night.

I operate better than most when deprived of sleep, but I didn't think I would be able to do 2 in a row. I'm about to take my last exam, and crash into dreamworld for the next 24 hours.

Just out of curiosity, did or do any of you routinely pull all-nighters for school purposes? I realize it's not even close to the best way to study, but I've learned to accept the fact that I will never be able to study well in advance.

I did all-nighters when I was like 12 when staying over at friend's houses.
I could do it when I have people up or go out drinking but would much rather watch TV, eat something and then hit the hay.

Never tried 2 allnighters in a row though, never saw the point or need to do it. As for doing them on school nights, I only got 4 hours sleep once does that count?

Yeah, and some people drirve better when they're tipsy.

I never pull all nighters for study. Even if I completely forgot at the last minute and I have a test in the morning, if it's too late I will set it aside and just go to sleep. When it comes to taking a test a good night's sleep is infinitely more helpful than a sleep deprived cram session.

I've never pulled an all-nighter. Not for studying, anyway. It doesn't work for me. It doesn't work for anyone, really.


There's nothing to "accept". It's not something that just happens to you. You're actively doing it to yourself.

You misread. What I said was that I operate better sleep deprived than most people do. Not saying I operate better sleep deprived than not

Ya I realize. I guess I meant more that I'm not willing to change until it stops working for me.

Say that to my 5 A+ exam grades...lol What can I say, I am lazy and I actually like the whole trip of staying up all night for an exam. Idk why lol. I rarely study at all prior to an exam or test. However I do go to class and pay attention.
@OP, I feel where you are coming from with this. I do this regularly but try not too if I can help it. Intensive studying and THEN sleep and then review is best.

Sleep will not help you if you did not study at all and do not know the information you need to know. If you are negligent in your studies to the point that you need to do an all night cram session to fit the knowledge in then you HAVE to do it. Sleep is nice but it will not give you new information. Best bet in this situation is to get some 6 hour energy drinks. No more than 2 in 24 hours! And study till about 5 hours till your test. Then sleep for 1-2 hours so you do not hit Deep sleep or REM sleep and wake up and briefly overview your study subjects. Basically scan your study guide. Then go to class and take your test.

All nighter as in not sleeping at all?

Never done that while in school. I did have plenty of days where I just got 2-3 hours of sleep during my senior year of high school. Didn't slow me down 1 bit.

Agreed. I'd rather be exhausted and at least somewhat understand the concepts than go in blindly.

I've never pulled an all-nighter for studying. I was always quite well organised, so most essays were done ahead of schedule, presentations planned and rehearsed, revision notes compiled throughout the course etc. Some of my classmates thought it was overkill, but at least I never had to deal with that feeling of wondering if I had done enough or the type of stress that they seemed to deal with.

Wow what a concept. Imagine if everybody did that.


Yes, you're right. I did misread. My bad.

Ha no worries. It's weird, I'm surprisingly lucid for how angry my body must be at me. I thought I would be on death's doorstep by this time, but I feel about the same as I did after last night.

I find that my age is prohibiting me from doing all nighters..

In my teens and early 20s(20-24) I used to spend DAYS without sleep and be ok.

Now I can't stay up without falling asleep in the chair.

My adderall, coffee and dip (feel free to judge, it's disgusting) is what has kept me going the last 2 nights.

If I do an all-nighter, I use it as a way to adjust when I wake up. For example, after summer holiday I'm used to waking up at 11 PM. In order to get it all the way down to 7 AM, I have an all-nighter.

I've done it quite a few times, and I've always managed to pass. I don't think it's ideal but I'm not organized and just find myself having to do it.
I did two all nighters in a row once, but on the way back home the last day I was so tired I almost got run over by a car (I wasn't paying attention to traffic), so I haven't repeated the experience. It scared me a little.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll be super attentive driving to class.

When Skyrim came out, I stayed up for around 72 hours...no work, just Skyrim bliss

unintentionally on an all-nighter right now, well its mid day now, not long until I pass out...

He said he is more effective than most when he and "most" are both deprived of sleep. He didn't say he works better when he's deprived of sleep. Reading comprehension can save you from making snarky remarks in error.

If you ever work in security "All-nighters" becomes a part of your job....you learn to hate it real quickly.

I'm an architect student. Let me tell you, we live up to the stereotype of never sleeping.

This past week was especially busy, being before midterm reviews. My friends and I pulled four full nights. And the nights we do actually get sleep, it's usually not very long (three or four hours most times).

It certainly takes its toll though. We're thin and pale and have bags under our eyes like you wouldn't believe.

Thank you Spring break. Thank you.

Edit: let me add to this by saying that even though that must sound like we all just procrastinate like hell and don't get our work done, that's not it. We work all day, too. There's just not enough time.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Architect is one of the toughest majors here. Not many in the architect dorms leave their rooms...

i do mine because i cant sleep 95% of the time

I've only done so once - freshman year of highschool, I was (wrongly) nervous about midterms. I chanted every date in all the lessons we'd learned in history class until I could recite them all. What a waste.