So, here’s the thing, there was that free invitation to that party that couldn’t be missed. There was that business essay that took up so much free time! Whatever the reason, business or pleasure, everyone has discovered a paper due tomorrow that crept upon them! Here are the best ways to survive those nights of last-minute essays: 


 
https://unsplash.com/photos/OxU08SFhPbI

Keep Calm and Stay Focused

The last thing to do when discovering that an essay is due tomorrow is to panic. We all know that it’s easy to say and hard to do, but panicking not only doesn’t accomplish anything, it can actually make things worse. 

If one finds oneself on the verge of panicking, stop everything and sit down. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and relax for a few minutes. Just doing that helps the mind to slow down and to start thinking on a problem more rationally. 

Now, create a plan and an outline for the overnight essay. This will take a good part of the night, so it’s important to pace oneself and be well prepared. Then, get down to business!

Be Free of all Distractions

 At this point, find a room in the house or apartment that is free of all distractions where a person can remain focused on their task and get it done. 

Essays Need Complete Quiet 

People think that soft music or having a T.V. on in the background will somehow help. Guess what people do when a T.V. is on? They watch it. Guess what people do when music is playing in the background? They start singing along! So, quiet is the rule for the night. This will help immeasurably towards staying focused on the essay or paper at hand.


 
https://unsplash.com/photos/tZnbakTUcTI

No Visitors and No Roommates When a Paper is Due Tomorrow 

If it’s possible to have roommates out for the night, that’d be great, but that’s usually not an option. No roommates mean that they are informed to keep outside of the Quiet Room for the night. When it comes to visitors, they need to be turned away at the door and do not invite anyone over! 

Write with the Door Closed 

Ironically, it’s Stephen King who used to say this. This is great advice, though, for anyone trying to write. What he meant by this was to write the first draft with the door closed. In other words, don’t ask for opinions when writing the first draft: Just get it done!

 Once a first draft is done, then open the door and ask if there’s anything that can be done to improve it. For one-night essays, though, don’t spend too much time discussing the finer parts of a paper due tomorrow! 

Coffee is a Free Life Saver! 

Anyone in college knows this, and when doing a research paper due tomorrow, it will keep people going when they need it the most. Too much caffeine is a bad thing for the young or old, but for a night like this, it’s a must-have. Just don’t have more than two or three cups! 

Take a Cat Nap or Two Even with a Paper Due Tomorrow 

The brain and the body needs sleep even when pulling an all-nighter. The problem is that when writing essays, articles, or papers in one night, there isn’t time to get a few hours of rest in. There are, however, cat naps. Some call them power naps, but they are effective in helping to refresh a person’s mind and body for a few hours. 

Eat Simple. Eat Fast for Essays

 No, this doesn’t mean to eat something so quickly that one finds themselves entered into a pie-eating contest. This just means not to take more than a decent amount of time to eat. The other people in the house can linger at the table for an hour, but research has to be done. Case studies have to be looked at. So, get going!

Eating simply is akin to how most students eat: simple snacks or meals that can be heated up quickly. Nobody really likes food that was heated up in a microwave and came out of a box, but it supplies calories and protein at a time when the body’s going to need it. Pizza pockets, T.V. dinners, they’re all things that no one should dine on as a regular diet, but one night is something a person can get away with.

And these are eight ways to write a paper that is due the next day! Good luck!