Open all hours

Term three is a stressful time for all at university. Essay deadlines and revision for exams seem to take up most of your time and it can often lead you to wishing there were more hours in the day. The University have heeded this wish and have extended the opening hours of the library to 24 hours a day during the summer term.

Students are noted for their nocturnal nature and pulling an all-nighter is no new phenomenon to students at Warwick; the Learning Grid has been open for 24 hours since its conception. It can be a daunting prospect and is often a last resort for those who have to finish work before an ever looming deadline, although many prefer working into the hours of the night when the library is largely empty.

I tried this myself earlier in the week to try to finish a mountain of essays that just wouldn’t get any closer to conclusion. It is a surreal experience, the library is as quiet as ever but there isn’t as much sense of urgency. The rows of shelves are dark as they are controlled by automatic sensors; it is a bit eerie to say the least. As you get to about 1am, if you live off campus you have reached the point of no return as the last buses have left for Coventry and Leamington; you have to see it through.

2am comes around quickly and you start to think this is the ideal way of working. You can get a seat, it isn’t busy and it is deathly silent. So far I have managed to get a considerable way through my essay. However by 3am I am thinking that this was the worst idea I have ever had. I have been working since 6pm and I have hit an absolute wall. I would like a cup of tea and my bed, but this is at least four hours away as the first buses don’t start until sunrise.

Around 4am I take a walk around the deserted library. The stairwells are empty, no noisy phone calls at this unsociable hour. The usual hive of activity that is floor 2 is dead. A solitary work stares despondently at the computer screen. At 5am I think enough is enough and try to have a little sleep at my desk. By 6am I am waiting at the bus stop to go to bed.

Bath University was the first to trial 24 hour library opening back in 1996 and it has caught on at campuses around the UK ever since

Warwick University says that it opens the library for 24 hours to ‘support [students] and maintain a suitable mix of study environment.’

Bridget O’Connell, the Head of Information at the mental health charity Mind, warned that 24 hour library opening can lead to more stress for students, when talking to the Guardian:

“While it is good that universities are allowing students to access libraries at a time that suits them, there is the concern that it could result in students feeling that they should be spending every spare moment studying.

“This is not a sustainable approach. Extended periods of pressure, including a lack of sleep, not eating properly, a lack of getting outdoors and exercising can all have a huge impact on mental wellbeing.”

The Warwick SU Feel Good Campaign recommends you revise for no more than 8 hours a day and take regular short breaks.

Alex Christensen, a second-year Maths student says he prefers to work at home: “sometimes we all need to pull an all-nighter, but I’d prefer to do it in the comfort of my house with my duvet wrapped round me.” He added that one of his friends had an interesting experience working late in the library, “my friend saw two people trying to have sex on floor one sofas in the library and had to politely say she was trying to work and they promptly moved elsewhere.”

Patrick Gill, a second-year Philosophy and Literature student says he prefers the quietness of working late at the library: “it’s certainly quieter and people seem to be pretty well spread through the library to reduce volume.

“As long as you don’t procrastinate too much it doesn’t feel like you have been working for too long, you only really start to notice the time when you see the sun come up.”

However you choose to study over the next term, whilst there is the option of working all night at the library, choose the best study methods that work for you.

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Top ten tips for surviving an all-nighter in the library:

1. Be prepared for the long haul – you will more than likely be staying until 6am, so make sure you actually can stay for that long.

2. Drink lots of water – you should stay hydrated why revising whatever the hour is, but at least regular trips to the water fountain break up a study session.

3. Take regular breaks – you can’t work solidly for 12 hours, so factor in breaks to your study session. Get up and stretch your legs, take a walk outside and enjoy the night time air.

4. Bring snacks – you will be hungry and the vending machines probably won’t satisfy your cravings.

5. If you’re too tired to work, stop – your body can only take so much studying, if you feel you can’t work any more, you should probably call it a night and take a nap.

6. Don’t pull an all-nighter before an exam – although the science behind cramming is disputed, being tired during an exam is indisputably going to negatively affect your performance.

7. Don’t drink too much caffeine – although coffee and energy drinks can produce a short burst of energy, they will also lead to a bigger crash and too much caffeine can harmfully affect your anxiety levels.

8. Study with a friend – if you have someone who is also studying, often it is easier to carry on working and it will give you someone to talk to when you need to take a break.

9. Set a realistic target for work – although you should aim high, you need to be honest yourself about how much you can get done in your study session, you won’t be able to write a dissertation overnight.

10. Don’t let stress take over – If you are feeling really stressed and anxious about essays and exams, there is help available from Nightline 9pm-9am during term time – there are people who you can talk to and make you a nice cup of tea and help you get through this difficult time.