How can I pull an all nighter and not fall asleep and still retain the information for the test?

Answer 1

I wouldn't recommend it. At least get 2-3 hours of sleep, then wake up early and continue studying.

Answer 2

Better yet, study as long as you can, then get some sort of sleep until maybe an hour before your test in the morning (or afternoon). As long as all you do between the time you wake up and go to class is review what you learned the night before, you will retain the information from the night before. If too much interference happens between the previous night's studies and your test, you will lose the information no matter how late and hard you crammed the night before! Interference could be distractions like talking on the phone, playing a game, doing anything that requires a lot of mental activity outside of the test you should be studying for.
Get to class early and review for a bit (either outside of the classroom, or in your car if you can't focus inside the test room itself). A lack of sleep will just make things worse as you will be too exhausted to truly care about the test and just want it over with, plus it will be harder to go into your memory to retrieve the details that aren't naturally embedded there.
Main point: Cramming and distractions will only add to your problems. If you must cram, get some sort of rest. The closer to the test you study, the better you will recall details for the short time. BUT BE WARNED>>> You will be screwed for a comprehensive final and trying the remember the knowledge from the cram session for the rest of your life! (Unless you take the time to store it in your long-term memory someday!)
Good God, I hope you are "studying" something likie Art History and not something like heart surgury! ;)

Answer 3

First of all, you will probably do poorly if you do not get a good night's sleep. If you have to cram, take a good look at it before you go to bed (preferably after a little time relaxing) and then review it again the next day before the test. If you are thinking about the facts you were reading when you went to bed, they will sink in better. One of the best things you can do for a test is to get a good night's sleep the day before.

Other helpful things include studying over a period of time instead of cramming, eating a good breakfast in the morning, and relaxing a little the night before. During the test, if you are allowed water, I would recommend it as it keeps you sharper, as does crossing your legs.

Answer 4

Drink lots of caffeine like tea, coke, coffee and eat foods like chocolate that also contains lots of caffeine. Also go to the bathroom and splash water in your face..........ice cold water. (fill a tub with ice and water). Read the information while you are still fresh and write down the questions that you have the most problems with. This way you are only going over the ones you have the most difficulty with. Next thing you know the list gets smaller. Once you get down to maybe 5 things you do not know stop and go to bed. Look back over them the morning of the test and you are sure to pass.

Answer 5

I went to a rural college where almost all of the students lived on campus, and we sometimes studied in the classroom where we would have the test the next day.

My friend did that one night until he just could not stay awake. So he pinned a note to his chest that said, "For the love of God, please wake me up!", stretched out in front of the door to the classroom and went to sleep.

When he finally did manage to wake up, there were already several people in the classroom! Whether they had tried to wake him or not, I just couldn't say. That guy barely graduated, though, and has been working at the same sandwich shop for 15 years. I wouldn't follow his example if I were you.

Answer 6

Well, skip the all-nighter, get good sleep, and the next day have a friend text you the answers via cell phone, blackberry, etc.

Answer 7

I walk around the room and keep repeating keep points that are important. Also lots of coffee and ice cream come into play here.

Answer 8

well the latest ive ever stayed up was 4 AM. I would say drink lots of coffee but i wouldnt recomend doing this stunt.

Answer 9

You probably don't want to do this. Short term memory is not the memory on which to depend. But if you have to, try red bull and Mt. dew.

Answer 10

Coffee... but try getting a couple hours of sleep in.