Does it feel like October slapped you in the face? I was unaware that time sped up, but apparently it did. You know what this means, don’t you? Midterms are almost here. Campus is about to get chaotic: Freshmen will be flipping out about their first big tests. Sophomores are going to try to act cool in the library and be really noisy. Juniors will curl up in the fetal position as they realize it’s the hardest year. Seniors like me will be banging their heads against the wall because that class was supposed to be easy. Everyone is going to be cranky and sleep deprived. Prescription drug deals will be happening at every bus stop. This is real (college) life.

To help you fight the good fight this semester, we’ve rounded up some of the best and worst ways to help you stay awake while you’re studying: Read More »

Over the past three months, I’ve found myself falling victim to a peril of college life that most don’t consider an issue until it hits them. It’s that feeling of uncontrollable anxiety when you realize you have three papers, several long reading assignments, classes, TA sessions, club meetings, play rehearsals, study sessions, and exams (breathe) all happening in a very, very short time span. And in said short time span, you are simply incapable of getting it all done.

Yep, I guess you could say I’ve been experiencing a bit of a time management crisis.

I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later, since I’m pretty compulsive when it comes to my work and I have a hard time saying no to an extra-curricular opportunity. But, then again, it seems counter-intuitive that I, a devout non-procrastinator, should have trouble budgeting my time. Aren’t procrastinators the ones who usually feel the crunch when 500 pages of reading come crashing down on them at 3 in the morning? Since when does actually completing all the work assigned to me do more harm than good?

On the verge of a meltdown and a stress-induced chocolate binge, I turned to my college-grad-turned-medical-student brother for advice. I told him what my weekly schedule was like and asked what – if anything – I’m doing wrong. Much to my surprise, he told me that I’m actually doing much more than is necessary to do well in my classes.

Huh?? Read More »

I’m starting to think that there is some truth to the rule, “You are what you eat.” I think my muffin top would attest to that statement. In general, I stick to a healthy diet (of cupcakes), but when it comes time to crack the books I know that my typical eating habits will affect my scholastic performance. While I usually opt for a bag of M&Ms at the library, I now know that a giant bag of sugar is not the best thing to get me through the hours of cramming.

In contrast, there are foods out there that have been shown to improve memory retention and attention span. Read: The foods I should be eating. I am one who will do anything to pass an exam, even if it means eating my way to better grades. Because what could be better?

Eat? For better grades? Grad school may be for me after all. Read More »

When it starts creeping towards midnight in the library, chances are someone is popping an Adderall. Although the study buddies used to be marketed as diet pills in the 1960s, the drug is hot among college kids because it amps your ability to focus, while eliminating your desire to doze.

Almost 20% of college students have used either Ritalin or Adderall to study, according to recent surveys. It’s almost become cool to be an Adderall kid, kind of like you’re cheating the system. You can harnass that extra eight hours that you would have wasted sleeping to crank out those last couple of math problems. Especially at elite colleges, sometimes you just don’t have enough time to get everything done. It’s literally impossible. Read More »