Danger Zone #1: Making the Deadline—Studying for Tests and Writing Papers
You go to college to enrich your mind and broaden your knowledge, so classes are
a top priority. Because few schools are progressive enough to do away with grades,
you’ll most likely be taking some tests and writing some graded papers during
your time at college. Studying or writing for a deadline anytime is stressful,
but, if you’re anything like me, procrastination will ensure that most of
your work is done right before the due date in long stretches extending into the
wee hours of the morning. 
(I do not recommend this, by the way!) For me, the material
seems especially boring at these times and I am easily distracted by the images
of sleep and food that keep wandering through my head. Sleep is not an option,
so pick-me-up snacks become a must. But what to eat at 2 a.m. when everything
but the university store is closed? Most likely, the options are limited to simple
carbohydrates if you are not prepared for this sort of situation.
Studying for tests and writing papers is a danger zone because:
1. You’re sitting still for a long period of time and get restless.
2. You’re under stress and might make hasty decisions about what to eat.
3. You don’t have time to forage for good, healthy food.
4. You typically only have highly processed food available on hand.
5. You want food and beverages that will help you stay awake and alert.
Prepare for a long night by keeping these snacks on hand:
baby carrots
almonds
1 grapefruit
1 apple
1 pear
2 small handfuls of semisweet chocolate chips
1 bag of rice cakes or soy crisps, flavored or not
All of these items are easy to find on or around campus, they’re cheap,
and they’ll help to keep you from turning to less healthy options. The baby
carrots are great because they fulfill that desire for crunch that would
otherwise come from pretzels or another crisp, salty snack. Grapefruit is a natural
appetite suppressant and, because it takes a little time to peel and eat, it gives
you a nice break from studying, with the added benefit of lots of vitamin C to
keep you alert. The apple and pear are two low-sugar fruits that are easy to store
and have when you’re in the middle of a study spree. And the bag of semisweet
chocolate chips is to satisfy your craving for sweet, fatty foods that will increase
as the study hours wear on. Because they are semisweet, they have less sugar than
milk chocolate, so a small handful of them contains only about 100 calories. The
rice cakes or soy crisps are salty-crunchy craving fixers, with very few calories
and little to no sugar. Also, the soy crisps have very few carbs and, on average,
about 7 grams of protein per serving.
