What Happens When You Pull an All-Nighter for Uni

As a Student Academic Leader, I like to think that I am a reasonably hardworking, disciplined, and organised student. But there are occasional situations I find myself in that challenge this perception. Case in point: I pulled a late night during week 9 to get an assignment done. It was a 2500 word law assignment due on the Friday night, which I started on the Thursday night. I stayed up until 5am, got a few hours sleep, then continued working on it until I submitted it minutes before the deadline.

The consequences of this decision? Well, first of all let’s not forget the feeling of insanity and the cravings for junk food to provide spiritual comfort as I struggled through each ungodly hour.

Secondly, I felt my work was rushed and not as good quality as it could have been if I had started earlier and paced myself. An HD worthy assignment is one that succinctly addresses the criteria and gets into analysis and critical thinking. This is very hard to do well when you’ve left it to the last minute.

Thirdly, and most annoyingly, I got sick. The day after pulling this late night, I started coming down with a sore throat, and before I knew it, a full-blown cold. This meant I had to miss out on several classes, as well as work, putting me further behind in my studies. Even if you don’t get sick, you still mess up your sleeping pattern, which really throws your body out.

The moral of the story? Pulling late nights for uni compromises your work quality and physical health, so try and avoid them if you can. But, equally, remember that you’re human, and sometimes life gets in the way or your motivation leaves the building and you find yourself with no other alternative. But just remember, you have to do the assignment at one stage or another, so why not make it easier on yourself and pace your work?

– Amelia