<
ulled my first ever “all-nighter.”

A popular part of college lore, the much discussed “all-nighter” had always seemed so mysterious. At Carleton, it’s almost a rite of passage. You haven’t really had a lot of work until you’ve had to stay up the whole night to get it done. Most people were shocked to hear I had never pulled one.

“Your first all nighter ever? I can’t think of a term when I didn’t pull one.”

It’s funny, because I often detect a bit of arrogance in the voices of those who brag about how little sleep they’ve had. Now a part of the “all-nighter club,” I have to say, I’m not a fan. I like my sleep. Furthermore, while I  respect the work ethic of the Carleton night owls, I think we need to help each other balance our lives.

I fully believe that students at Carleton are the most dedicated people I have ever encountered. Work, and academics in particular, are the number one priority for many of us. Considering this is a college, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Indeed, I think a lot of us thrive under pressure. Deadlines and hectic schedules give us structure.

Yet, sometimes I worry. Carls have no problem foregoing sleep, a great party or their friendships, in favor of doing their schoolwork. I don’t need to bring in some Wellness Center literature to emphasize this could pose problems. Your stress over work is compounded by the fact you aren’t taking enough time to relax. Take a look at your classmates during ninth week, especially winter term. You can see it on our faces; we really look beat. Many of us keeping our eyes open are probably still zoning out.

It isn’t easy to convince us that we are endangering our physical and emotional well-being.  Being over-extended at Carleton is different than it is other places.  Carls’ obligations are brought on by genuine passion. People don’t make commitments for good grades or compensation. A friend of mine at a state school didn’t understand the concept of overloading for the fun of it. At his school, you would only ever overload if you were trying to graduate early.

At Carleton, people want to study art history, learn Chinese and program in Python. All in ten weeks.  Their drive is commendable. Their anticipation of time management problems? Not so much.

Let me be clear. I am not advocating that Carleton students abandon our academic curiosity or disregard the thrill of learning. I’m just saying – there’s a difference between being lazy and being focused.

Imagine what would happen if we prioritized and only got involved with things we really care about. If you need some help, why not ask a friend? Rather than promote a culture where sleepless nights are “cool,” maybe they could step  and help you organize yourself. If nothing else, they might help you get some shut-eye.

“Your first all nighter ever? I can’t think of a term when I didn’t pull one.”

It’s funny, because I often detect a bit of arrogance in the voices of those who brag about how little sleep they’ve had. Now a part of the “all-nighter club,” I have to say, I’m not a fan. I like my sleep. Furthermore, while I  respect the work ethic of the Carleton night owls, I think we need to help each other balance our lives.

I fully believe that students at Carleton are the most dedicated people I have ever encountered. Work, and academics in particular, are the number one priority for many of us. Considering this is a college, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Indeed, I think a lot of us thrive under pressure. Deadlines and hectic schedules give us structure.

Yet, sometimes I worry. Carls have no problem foregoing sleep, a great party or their friendships, in favor of doing their schoolwork. I don’t need to bring in some Wellness Center literature to emphasize this could pose problems. Your stress over work is compounded by the fact you aren’t taking enough time to relax. Take a look at your classmates during ninth week, especially winter term. You can see it on our faces; we really look beat. Many of us keeping our eyes open are probably still zoning out.

It isn’t easy to convince us that we are endangering our physical and emotional well-being. Being over-extended at Carleton is different than it is other places.  Carls’ obligations are brought on by genuine passion. People don’t make commitments for good grades or compensation. A friend of mine at a state school didn’t understand the concept of overloading for the fun of it. At his school, you would only ever overload if you were trying to graduate early.

At Carleton, people want to study art history, learn Chinese and program in Python. All in ten weeks.  Their drive is commendable. Their anticipation of time management problems? Not so much.

Let me be clear. I am not advocating that Carleton students abandon our academic curiosity or disregard the thrill of learning. I’m just saying – there’s a difference between being lazy and being focused.

Imagine what would happen if we prioritized and only got involved with things we really care about. If you need some help, why not ask a friend? Rather than promote a culture where sleepless nights are “cool,” maybe they could step  and help you organize yourself. If nothing else, they might help you get some shut-eye.