How to Stay Awake During School
Interact with your teacher., Interact with your classmates — when the time is right., Take knockout notes., Keep your body alert during class.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Interact with your teacher.
Though interacting with your teacher may sound like the last thing you want to do when your eyelids feel like sandbags, keeping up a rapport with your teacher before and during class will surely help you stay alert.
Not only will this make you less likely to drift off, but your teacher will be impressed by your participation.
Greet your teacher when you walk in the door.
Establish a level of communication before class even starts.
This will also keep you from immediately slouching in your seat as soon as you walk in the door.
Sit near the front, near your teacher.
Though this may sound like a bad idea, you'll be more motivated to stay awake and participate in class discussion if you're closer to your teacher.
Your teacher's voice will also reach you more easily.
Answer questions during class discussion.
Make a habit of raising your hand to answer questions during class discussion.
Tell yourself you have to answer at least three or four questions per class.
This will force you to pay attention to the class discussion so you can chime in.
If you're confused about something, don't be afraid to ask a question.
If you have the kind of teacher who is open to questions, pose a question or two when you're unclear about a certain concept.
This will make you engage further in the class discussion. -
Step 2: Interact with your classmates — when the time is right.
Your classmates can also help you stay awake during school.
While you shouldn't be chatting with your peers when your teacher is talking, there will be opportunities to use your classmates to help you stay alert.
Here's what you can do:
Talk to a classmate before class starts.
Instead of slouching in your chair and slipping into half-slumber, talk to one of your classmates about the homework, or even his plans for the week.
Take advantage of group work.
If you're working in groups or partners, be an active participant to stay alert.
Sit near the students who participate.
Though you don't want to sit by a chatty student who can distract you, if you sit near someone who participates a lot, his/her voice will jolt you awake frequently.
This will also keep you from sleeping because you'll know that your teacher will be looking in your direction often. , In most classes, you'll be spending a lot of your time taking notes.
While this can sound like a plan for falling asleep even sooner than you intended, if you make the most of your note-taking, you will be much more likely to stay alert.
Here's how to take notes that help you stay awake:
Take very detailed notes.
The more detailed your notes, the more carefully you'll have to focus during class.
If you're falling asleep, listening will be impossible.
Read over your notes from time to time.
Using the "reading" part of your brain instead of the "listening" part will help you switch gears if the classroom is starting to feel too monotonous.
Use different colored pens and highlighters.
Use different pens to write about different parts of the class lecture, or just switch pens because you feel like it.
Take out your highlighters and use them from time to time to keep awake.
If it keeps you awake, doodle in the margins of your pages.
Just try not to tick off your teacher. , Keeping your mind alert is only half the battle.
To truly stay awake, you have to make sure your body is awake too.
Though you won't be able to run around in circles or do jumping jacks in the middle of your Spanish class, there are a few small things you can do to keep your body alert.
Sit up tall in your chair.
If you don't slouch, you'll be less likely to collapse into sleep.
Roll your shoulders.
Roll your head in a circle to get the kinks out of your neck.
Stretch your wrists.
If you're really struggling to stay awake, pull down on your earlobes or even pinch your thighs or forearms.
In a desperate moment, you can even lightly bite down on your tongue.
Suck on a cough drop or a peppermint, if your teacher doesn't mind.
Though gum is probably not allowed in your school, chewing it will snap you awake.
Cross your legs and bounce the crossed leg.
If your body is still asleep, excuse yourself and walk across the hall for a drink of water or take a quick trip to the bathroom and splash cold water on your face.
Stay hydrated.
If your teacher allows it, sip from a cold bottle of water and your body will feel more alert. -
Step 3: Take knockout notes.
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Step 4: Keep your body alert during class.
Detailed Guide
Though interacting with your teacher may sound like the last thing you want to do when your eyelids feel like sandbags, keeping up a rapport with your teacher before and during class will surely help you stay alert.
Not only will this make you less likely to drift off, but your teacher will be impressed by your participation.
Greet your teacher when you walk in the door.
Establish a level of communication before class even starts.
This will also keep you from immediately slouching in your seat as soon as you walk in the door.
Sit near the front, near your teacher.
Though this may sound like a bad idea, you'll be more motivated to stay awake and participate in class discussion if you're closer to your teacher.
Your teacher's voice will also reach you more easily.
Answer questions during class discussion.
Make a habit of raising your hand to answer questions during class discussion.
Tell yourself you have to answer at least three or four questions per class.
This will force you to pay attention to the class discussion so you can chime in.
If you're confused about something, don't be afraid to ask a question.
If you have the kind of teacher who is open to questions, pose a question or two when you're unclear about a certain concept.
This will make you engage further in the class discussion.
Your classmates can also help you stay awake during school.
While you shouldn't be chatting with your peers when your teacher is talking, there will be opportunities to use your classmates to help you stay alert.
Here's what you can do:
Talk to a classmate before class starts.
Instead of slouching in your chair and slipping into half-slumber, talk to one of your classmates about the homework, or even his plans for the week.
Take advantage of group work.
If you're working in groups or partners, be an active participant to stay alert.
Sit near the students who participate.
Though you don't want to sit by a chatty student who can distract you, if you sit near someone who participates a lot, his/her voice will jolt you awake frequently.
This will also keep you from sleeping because you'll know that your teacher will be looking in your direction often. , In most classes, you'll be spending a lot of your time taking notes.
While this can sound like a plan for falling asleep even sooner than you intended, if you make the most of your note-taking, you will be much more likely to stay alert.
Here's how to take notes that help you stay awake:
Take very detailed notes.
The more detailed your notes, the more carefully you'll have to focus during class.
If you're falling asleep, listening will be impossible.
Read over your notes from time to time.
Using the "reading" part of your brain instead of the "listening" part will help you switch gears if the classroom is starting to feel too monotonous.
Use different colored pens and highlighters.
Use different pens to write about different parts of the class lecture, or just switch pens because you feel like it.
Take out your highlighters and use them from time to time to keep awake.
If it keeps you awake, doodle in the margins of your pages.
Just try not to tick off your teacher. , Keeping your mind alert is only half the battle.
To truly stay awake, you have to make sure your body is awake too.
Though you won't be able to run around in circles or do jumping jacks in the middle of your Spanish class, there are a few small things you can do to keep your body alert.
Sit up tall in your chair.
If you don't slouch, you'll be less likely to collapse into sleep.
Roll your shoulders.
Roll your head in a circle to get the kinks out of your neck.
Stretch your wrists.
If you're really struggling to stay awake, pull down on your earlobes or even pinch your thighs or forearms.
In a desperate moment, you can even lightly bite down on your tongue.
Suck on a cough drop or a peppermint, if your teacher doesn't mind.
Though gum is probably not allowed in your school, chewing it will snap you awake.
Cross your legs and bounce the crossed leg.
If your body is still asleep, excuse yourself and walk across the hall for a drink of water or take a quick trip to the bathroom and splash cold water on your face.
Stay hydrated.
If your teacher allows it, sip from a cold bottle of water and your body will feel more alert.
About the Author
Thomas Stone
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow lifestyle tutorials.
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