falling asleep in class -- Virtually Advising Q+A

The Q: Most of the time, I'm sleeping in the classroom during lecture. Can you suggest how I can avoid this?

The A: Easy: Get more sleep at night! Or take naps in the afternoon, or between classes. DON'T get hooked on caffeine or any other supplements/pills/drugs designed to keep your eyelids open as long as possible: For one thing, it'll come back to haunt you physically and mentally when you crash, but as importantly, the work you get done when you're wired may not be as good as the work you get done when you've a clear -- and well-rested -- head. Besides, I've found that trying to pay attention in class when I've had two cups of iced coffee is just as tough as when I'm almost collapsing into the aisle from exhaustion.

Your best bet is to figure out why you're not getting enough sleep in the first place, and then suck it up and cut some of the activities out of your day that are keeping you up too late (or making you wake up too early). If you're having trouble getting to sleep at night in the first place, stop by your school's health or counseling center and set up an appointment to talk to someone who can work with you face-to-face to figure out what it is that's keeping you up.

Good luck!

—Myles Helfand, General Advisor