We’ve all been there. It’s some time between the morning hustle and the night’s lock-in hours, the sun blanketing the campus, and you’re stuck in your noon class, fighting to keep your blinks from turning into micronaps. (I guess we’re in Cambridge, so maybe the sun part isn’t that applicable, but let’s be honest, our typical gloom and doom isn’t doing any favors either). So, if you’re trying to stop taking involuntary trips to snorkmimiland during your noon class, I’ve got a few things for you to try!

Sit at the front.

Even better, sit smack dab in the middle. Surely you won’t be feeling snug as a bug and sleep-ready if you’re right under your professor’s nose. And if you do fall asleep, you’ll learn your lesson eventually when you open your eyes (when did they even close?), and your professor is staring into your soul. You won’t be feeling sleepy after that.

Don’t lunch during class.

If you need a lil snack to tide you over until lunch, go for it. But do not give in to the temptation to devour your PB&J sandwich, Chobani, chile, and Cape Cod chips during class. As soon as you stop munching, your eyelids will start fighting for their lives. I once polished off a caprese wrap in my psych lecture, and when someone behind me asked a question, I leaned back, turned my head to look at them, and the next thing I knew, I’d stayed in that position completely zonked out. Case in point, eating your lunch during your noon class is playing a dangerous game. Save lunch for later. Yes, you might be a tad hungry, but you’ll be awake. Pick your poison.

Sit next to your crush.

No, we’re not going to run away from them and pretend that they’re air. You’re going to plop yourself right next to them in one of those creaky leather lecture hall seats or rolly arm desks, and I can guarantee you’ll be wide awake for the entire class. Heck, you don’t even need to say a word. All of a sudden, you’ll wonder if you’re slouching too much, if the roots of your two-day unwashed hair look a little clumpy, if you’re breathing wrong, etc. You’ll have just the right amount of stimulation and overthinking to keep your eyes open. And surely the last thing you want your crush to think is that you’re a chud, so you definitely won’t be dozing off next to them anytime soon. The added bonus is that it gives you a reason to get close to your crush, which is the first step to maybe making eye contact with them... (we all start from somewhere)

Sleep 8 hours.

A few days ago, I asked my beautiful, kind, pumpkin-pie of a roommate to wake me up from my nap at 2:30 a.m. I opened my eyes to sunlight slipping through my blinds and onto my fuzzy throw. She told me she woke me up during the night – twice, actually. I allegedly passed out immediately again both times. It felt kind of like hearing about what happened while you were blacked out, but that’s beside the point. What really stuck with me was how astonishingly awake I felt that day. My mind was as clear and sharp as a freshly cracked-open Celsius. I cruised through the afternoon without even needing a nap. Pure magic, I’m telling you. I don’t care that you have a pset due tomorrow. Just take a day to sleep 8 hours and experience the magic for yourself.

So, next time your seat in the Science Center lecture hall feels extra plush, maybe try to implement some of these tips! Your tuition is too high for you to be knocked out in your classes. Best of luck, my fellow sleepy heads.