Ah yes, the night class. It always seems like a great idea at the time doesn’t it? I’ll have all day to sleep in and catch up on all that other stuff I have to do! But by the time you get to class and your teacher starts droning on about some theoretical nonsense, you realize you are about to pass out. Immediately it dawns upon you that scheduling this was a mistake. How does one manage to not fall asleep in that 7-10 p.m. class with a professor who is very uninteresting?
First off, it would be wise to bring a snack. It’s a night class so eventually you are going to get bored, and start thinking about how hungry you are. It is pretty hard to concentrate on an empty stomach. Somehow a bag of chips or a Pop-Tart manages to make your life seem less miserable at the moment. Plus it’s a good way to make friends in that class; everybody likes that person who brings food.
Second would be to take a bathroom break. It is a three hour class. Who is going to notice if you take a nap on one of the couches in the restroom for 20 minutes? I have done this a few times and I have to say it makes the class a bit more bearable. Plus this means you can text and tweet to your heart’s content without having to worry if your teacher can see you staring down at your crotch.
Third is to stop at Starbucks; even if you have to wait in line outside the door for half an hour, you will thank yourself later. I know I did not start getting decent grades until I decided loading up on caffeine everyday. This is college. You will sleep when you are dead.
Practice your doodling skills. It still looks like you’re actually taking notes, when really you’re just creating a masterpiece in your notebook. I often like to imagine what people would look like as animals, so I usually draw my professors into whatever animal I think they look like. It’s usually something along the lines of an ostrich or a turtle.
Finally, if you absolutely cannot stay awake, I like to sit behind the biggest dude I can find in class. I am talking the linebacker of the football team. You want to find someone with broad shoulders that makes it absolutely impossible for you to be seen from the front of the room. That way you can hide behind them when you inevitably fall asleep without the teacher noticing.
In all seriousness, night classes may suck, but there are ways to make them more bearable. Be sure to study hard, stock up on those energy drinks, and steal those naps when you can. Here is to another year of cramming and stress. Welcome back to college.
Kristin Fenchak is a second year student majoring in English. She can be reached at KF763925@wcupa.edu.