You finally crawled into bed at four in the morning after finally finishing your English paper. Procrastination seemed like a perfectly acceptable option last night, but with the morning sun comes debilitating regret. There’s no way around it: you need to remove yourself from the warm comfort of your bed, find your way to class, and keep your eyes wide open. You might think that this task is impossible, you might as well spare yourself the embarrassment of falling asleep in class and stay in your toasty blanket cocoon. However, students have been studying the science of how to stay awake in class for hundreds of years, and with their knowledge, you will soon be staying awake in class like a professional.
Before you go to bed, gather everything that you will need the next morning. No matter how tired you are at night, you will be even more so in the morning. Lay out everything from your school supplies to your toothpaste, because it’ll be a nightmare you remember when you are an early morning zombie. Be sure to lay out a decent breakfast, because diet is truly the key to staying awake when you’re falling asleep.
Eat as soon as you wake up, because this will maximize the time for your body to start to digest your breakfast. It might seem like a good idea to skip breakfast and catch a few extra minutes of sleep, but fifteen minutes of sleep will never equal a decent breakfast. After you eat, hone in on your caffeine stores. Coffee is, easily, the most effective caffeinated beverage, but tea will serve a similar purpose. If all else fails, caffeinated sodas and energy drinks will work, as well. Be sure to pack a snack for class, if your professor allows it. This is will keep your blood sugar up, in addition to giving you something to do with your hands. The best snacks are high in protein and carbohydrates, such a granola bars and trail mix. If you are unable to eat, almost all classes with allow water, so bring a large bottle of cold water!