Pulling the All-Nighter

Let’s face it; the season of all-nighters is upon us.  As much as we’d like to think that as college students, we have finally gotten down the skill of effective time management to get all our work done in an orderly fashion at an appropriate time, it just has not happened yet.  The reality is that we are more likely to procrastinate and not do the essay that we’ve had all semester to work on until the very last night. 

“Due tomorrow?  Do tomorrow.” 

The reality is that you will talk about having to work on this essay all day, knowing it’s going to take a while to complete, but you still won’t actually start it until 11:00 at night. 

The reality is that these short-term cramming sessions will help you get a good grade on that exam the next day.  But in the long-term, you are very likely to forget everything you have learned.

Yes, it’s inappropriate.  Yes, it shows a lack of respect for ourselves.  Yes, it’s detrimental to our health.  Yes, it reflects poorly on our generation.  Yes, you will promise yourself that you will never do it again. 

And ultimately, yes, you will do it again.  So, here are some tips to pull the all-nighter effectively:

1.        Start drinking your first large coffee at 9:00 P.M.  Finish it in under an hour and move on to the next one.  Stop drinking coffee by about 1:00 A.M. You can move on to water then.  It takes the edge off the caffeine crash for the next day. 

2.       Make sure your assignment is something you can type.  All the caffeine in your body will cause your hands to shake.  Handwriting becomes illegible.  If you have to highlight or underline things, use a ruler or a straightedge.

3.       Try to pull the all-nighter in a public space.  A lot of people think isolating themselves will minimize chances of distraction and help you get things done faster.  But sometimes these little distractions actually help.  They break up the night and make things less miserable.  Plus, it’s a little comforting to know that there are other people who are going through the same thing as you are.  Strength in numbers.  Solidarity.

4.       Go outside.  Sometimes that rush of fresh cold air will wake you up even more.  Especially in the morning.  Watching the sun rise is pretty gratifying.  This is also when you will promise yourself to go to bed earlier, so that you can wake up early and see this every day. 

5.       Take a nap. If you have the amount of self-discipline to be able to take an hour nap, then get up after and finish whatever you need to get done, then do it! 

And the most important thing of all:  Have a little self-confidence.  At the end of the day, I know I will get everything done that I’ve set out to do.  Whether I’ve done this essay three days beforehand, or the night before, I have the confidence to know that it will get done, no matter what.  It won’t be late.  I will get it in on time.  And the quality of the work won’t be shoddy either.  If you are going to do anything less, then ask yourself why you are in college in the first place?

Sending Your Daughter to the War Zone

The “War Zone” is a term my grandmother uses to describe the beautiful country of Jordan, where I will be studying abroad this upcoming fall semester. It’s true that Jordan borders many countries that have undergone political turmoil in the past few decades, some of which are still technically at war with one another (Syria and Israel have never reached a formal peace agreement, although there has been an armistice in place for a number of years!). There has been no shortage of violence in the area, even today with conflicts between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank and Israel, chains of bombings in Iraq, and a potentially developing civil war in Syria. However, despite being in a “high-risk area,” Jordan has been a stable and safe center in the region. In fact, Jordan is considered the destination for many refugees who seek stability in the turmoil.

So off to the war zone I go! Having never studied Arabic before! Not being familiar with the customs and culture of the Middle East in general! Knowing no family or friends in the area to fall back on!

And yet, I couldn’t imagine any other way to do it. What a better way than to learn about a culture than to jump right into it! What better way to learn a language than to go to the country where the language is spoken! What better way to familiarize yourself with the area by making your own network of friends in the area!

The Middle East has always been an area of interest for me. Here at Clark, I’m a history major specializing in the area, with hopes to continue on to a graduate school that offers Middle Eastern Studies. Imagine the amazing opportunity that a study abroad program within Jordan holds for me!

My grandmother remains anxious and nervous, however for my studying abroad in the Middle East. Couldn’t I go to the other program in London instead? But honestly, what are grandmothers for if not to worry about their grandkids setting out into the world on their own, with potential dangers lurking everywhere?

Technically I could have applied to study in England, where there is a program designated for Middle Eastern Studies in London.

But I think my mother’s opinion on the situation best explains the reason why I chose to study in Jordan over London best:
“If I was twenty years old, and I had a choice between Jordan and London, the more adventurous option would have been the way to go. You should go to Jordan.”