You can't stare at your computer screen any longer. Your eyes feel like they're going to pop out of your head. All you want to do is lie down, but you can't even move because you're molded into your desk chair. Your bed, with its squishy pillows, fluffy duvet and comforting quilt, is calling you. The futon in your living room, the plush carpet in your housemate's room, even the tile kitchen floor look inviting. But you can't sleep now because you have another hundred pages to read or another four pages to write -- or both. What do you do to stay awake?
University students have various strategies for late-night emergencies.
Some students have basic strategies for staying awake, including the classic: caffeine.
"Two words: Red Bull," second-year College student Nina Robbinssaid simply.
Many students, like Robbins, chug caffeine to stay awake.
"I usually just go to bed, but if I have to stay awake, I drink lots of soda," first-year College student Greg Skerry said.
For some, guzzling Red Bull and soda just doesn't seem to be enough.
"There are these things called Frappuccinos -- they're awesome," second-year College student Ryder Kenerson said. "Also, I rub my entire body with Icy-Hot, and that keeps me awake. I also punch my leg and rub my hands together really fast and then touch my eyes."
Because rubbing one's entire body with Icy-Hot may not have extraordinarily wide appeal, many students opt for more traditional approaches.
"I don't drink caffeine because that'll keep me up all night," third-year College student Marilena Lekoudis said. "If I know I have a lot of work, I just stay away from home so I'm not tempted to get into bed."
Staying away from home, though, doesn't work for some students, including fourth-year College student Ethan Wirt.
"I do sprints up and down the stairs at Clemons," Wirt said. "But usually, I end up falling asleep on the floor with my jacket as a pillow. The cleaning people vacuuming the floor make a pretty good alarm clock at six in the morning"
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