Are you ready for this? The secret is don’t go.

Just kidding.

College is great and all, until you realize that night classes are a thing. I understand, they’re completely relevant for students who work full time during the day. Or for students that work better “after hours,” but let’s be honest, classes between 6-9 PM suck.

Night classes tend to drag on and most professors don’t let you out early, but there are methods to “surviving” the hot mess of night classes. Note: I said survive, not enjoy.

1. Caffeine

Coffee, soda, black tea, I don’t care. Go for your usual and drink it right before class so it has time to kick in. Hopefully your cup of energy will last until at least the first half of class, which is where all the important stuff is said. Everyone knows that even professors start to give up during the second part. Night classes suck for everyone. So remember to also cut your professors some slack.

2. Snacks

I snack when I’m bored. Snacks keep me busy. Pack a granola bar, fruit, or chocolate, and snack away. Try to stay away from snacks that are annoyingly crunchy because the last thing someone wants to hear at the end of a long day is another student chewing loudly. Snacking will keep you focused and awake—that is of course if you snack wisely. And if for some strange reason your professor doesn’t allow food in class, then drop the class. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life.

3. Laptops

The holy grail of any class is your laptop, but only if you have self control. Meaning, sure you can surf the web a little during a lecture if you’re good at multitasking and don’t spend the majority of the time doing it. Otherwise, I advise you to not use such a distracting device. Just think about all the tuition and time you’re throwing in the garbage. With that being said, I would like to reiterate that it is in fact ok to use your laptops for more than just note-taking, if you can keep up with what’s happening around you. You don’t want to be that student that gets called on randomly and has no idea what’s going on because you were watching YouTube videos in silence. We’re all adults here, be smart about your decisions.

4. Class friend

This is probably the best tip ever. I’ve had night classes that were so low on my list they reached a point of no return. However, these classes were still bearable because I shared the pain with a friend. Misery loves company, am I right? It’s already a very reassuring moment when you realize you know someone in class, but knowing someone in a night class is double the fun. No one likes to struggle alone.

5. Take your own breaks

Usually professors will give students a 5-15 minute break during the middle of class. This is when everyone’s ears perk up and a look of relief shadows over. While the class break is awesome, don’t hesistate to take your own breaks before if you need to. Spend five minutes or less walking out, stretching, drinking water and doing nothing until you walk back in. This is usually enough to refresh your mind and refocus. There’s nothing worse than sitting in the same position for a three-plus hour lecture. *Cringes*

What are your tactics for surviving night classes? Stand in solidarity with your fellow students and share them!