Help - Pulling an all nighter

zeusnero

First off , is anyone else out there in the same boat - stuck studying or working on a project which has to be in tomorrow and you've about 3 days of work left...?

I'm a student in NUIG - and due to unavoidable circumstances (girlfriend was over for the week from mainland europe) i find myself waaaaaaay behind on this...

come on guys, pipe up if you're out there

PS. does anyone know how to properly reference appendices in the main text of a project?

Drink plenty of coffee/tea. Probably best if you do it with a group of people. More motivation to keep each other awake.

Ruu_Old

Red bull or coffee will do the trick and plenty of crisps and sweeties to munch on

zeusnero

Thanks for the advice guys - Have lots of munchies but out of red bull and have an almighty headache

It's times like this I wish I wasn't such a procrastinator...

Merrick

I completely understand your situation. Coffee with lots of sugar and a packet of skittles should do the job.
Although this sort of thing does work better if you have another person there to slap you when you start nodding off.

rugbug86

ice cold water

music - not quiet music tho, loud music

and an open window/a wander outside every time u feel like sleeping

casanova_kid

have a **** now! get it out of your system.

Creamy Goodness

as odd as it may seem, eat apples, and plenty of them.

Amazotheamazing

Cremo wrote:

as odd as it may seem, eat apples, and plenty of them.

This man speaks the truth.

What's the project in?

zeusnero

Merrick wrote:

I completely understand your situation. Coffee with lots of sugar and a packet of skittles should do the job.
Although this sort of thing does work better if you have another person there to slap you when you start nodding off.

always planned to get me one of them alternate personalities but never got around to it - didn't that come back to bite me on the ass...

*gets up and brings back glass of ice cold water*

cremo - why apples?

scop

Bout to say apples myself, the mild acidy taste wakes you right up. Its the classic all nighter thing for anybody not silly enough to induce head aches from tonnes of coffee.

DaSilva

For coffee to help you stay awake you really need to drink it BEFORE your tired.

kittenkiller

Erm... Get off line!
Then stay up all night, look terrible in the morning so you cxan go to your lecturer & claim some sort of desperate emergency warrenting an extension of a week or so.

Merrick

DaSilva wrote:

For coffee to help you stay awake you really need to drink it BEFORE your tired.

No no you just have to stay awake long enough to obtain and drink the coffee, wait a few minutes and you're all set...

stepbar

Have done it 2 or 3 time all in my final yr (lst yr) done a few 2000 word strat mgt projects starting at midnite and finishin at 8 r 9 the nxt morn. Coffee was my saviour. Survived on redbull for my dissertation proposal this yr. Have a project due in myself for wednesday but im not goin to burst a gut for it


I ref appendix's as follows

In the body of ur text go X and Y suggest that (Appendix A)


then at the back of paper

Go

Appendix A

Insert Text / Table etc etc

Source: Figure 1.1 "The value of xyx", Keane and Ferguson (2005, p11)

Thats what I do ne how wheather it be rite r wrong!

jetsonx

just tell them you were on a plane and it had to make a stop in Prestwick...

zeusnero

kittenkiller wrote:

Erm... Get off line!
Then stay up all night, look terrible in the morning so you cxan go to your lecturer & claim some sort of desperate emergency warrenting an extension of a week or so.

i wish i could go offline !!! but i'm working on the project in work, on a wireless network and i can't get rid of the net... and in approximately 12 hours time my boss will saunter through the door ready for a long hard day of bustin my ***** worst thing is my boss sits right next to me so it's going to be a nightmare!!! (crys)

in relation to the extension - its a project for elaine wallace in NUIG and getting an extension is about as likely as, hmmmmm, ireland winning the '06 world cup...

Ruu_Old

As mentioned, have a group of people with you. It'll give you an excuse anyway to wake them up.

You:*smacks mate*
Them: WTF?!?!
You: Ah you were falling asleep ya bastid!

zeusnero

thanks stepbar - that helps! does it matter if you order the appendices alphabetically or numerically?

stepbar

alphabetically I would imagine Appendix A, B ,C and so on thats the way I do it nehow

StupidLikeAFox

Munch a few disco biscuits

Fajitas!

Don't stay around people. You'll procrasinate more.

Do plan what you have to do out, on a piece of paper.

Do drink coffee, but don't rely on it to keep you going.

Keep a window open. Fresh air is great.

Play music with some rythm.

Hope you get through it ok.

TomTom

Was going to suggest that about music, sythm only as other wise it will destract or in some cases put you to sleep. I always avoide redbull and stick to expresso. Red bull gives a rush for me and then i completly die out.

Lot of cold fresh air and lots of walk around breaks outside. If people are staying up get the in a different room playing cards or something and ask them to check on you now and then. If they are with you you will just get distracted over and over.

Max_Damage

Throw yourself down a stairs, if you're lucky you'll have to go to hospital, thus no work tomorrow!:D

zeusnero

Max_Damage wrote:

Throw yourself down a stairs, if you're lucky you'll have to go to hospital, thus no work tomorrow!:D

not sure how much good that will do considering I need to use the printer in work when i do eventually get it done. Plus there's the slight risk of doing some actual damage to numerous limbs, which will just make it harder to cycle into university...

I'm getting there though - 12,872 words, but still have to get through the executive summary and conclusion

turbot

I've done this kind of thing at least as much as anyone.

Heres what I find works for me:

1) Optimally energise yourself using caffiene. Harsh to ones body though it maybe, I find that:

- Drinking 2 cans of red bull

Which leads to initial hyperness leading off to sustained energy is pretty good.

Then eat something like porridge (for steady blood sugar... and lack of hunger) and you'll have sustained energy.

Then drink ****-loads of water to stay hydrated and concentrate.

2) Efficiently clear any crap out of the way in your room / where you are working so nothing can distract you

3) Make sure there is lots of fresh air

4) Do some quick stretches, like you would in a martial arts class

5) Figure out what is the simplest route to getting this done well, and think it through. Mindmap it / plan it / choose what do do. If you can use self hypnosis for this, even better.

6) Focus in short bursts, for say 25-30 minutes at a time. If you find your mind wandering, go outside for air and listen to music for say, 5 minutes, then return.

7) Mentally imagine yourself as anyone you know who could confidently pull this feat off. Like if it's a software issue, could Bill Gates do it? Max out your own confidence.

Good luck