How To Stay Alert In Lectures Seminars and Classes

By Leon Edward

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You may have lectures and lessons with varying degrees of interest. A
number of these might be dull, you might look forward to others; you
might also have lectures and lessons that you hoped that you didn’t
have to attend. The following are some techniques for keeping awake
during your dullest lectures and lessons.

1. Ensure that you get sufficient sleep. The normal amount of sleep for
a young person is 8 hours a night. Obviously, you can not steer clear
of the late nights or early mornings when we sometimes need to keep
awake, but it is important to ensure that this is for academic reasons,
and not just for partying. I am sure you know what I am talking about.

2. Take regular exercise. You need to keep your muscles in good
shape by doing a few stretches every morning. Many of us may have
lessons or lectures that are on the seventh floor of one building, then
the 8th floor of another. If you practice some exercises, first thing
in the morning, then you help get your body into shape for that
monotonous stair climb, and also help circulate the blood to your
brain.

3. Have some caffeine. Chocolates, cola, coffee and other items that
contain caffeine help speed up the central nervous system. So,
consuming a lot of caffeine helps your brain keep going. Of course,
excess is seldom healthy; too much caffeine can lead to anxiety,
insomnia, and similar problems. You need to watch how much you take or
you may end up like a zombie.

4. Make sure you eat. You should never attend a lecture or lesson when
you are hungry, as an empty stomach will not help your body and mind
function properly. In addition, you will have to suffer the
embarrassment of listening to your tummy grumbling, begging for food.
In effect, an empty stomach can disrupt your concentration.

5. Make notes. You might be outstanding at being able to remember
things, but we actually make use of around 10% of our brain. It is
worth making notes to keep yourself occupied, and to help you recall
points that the teacher has emphasized. You can make use of acronyms or
any other abbreviations; the main point is that you can revise or amend
your notes after the lesson.

6. Speak up. Participate. Enter into a debate, raise issues, and shed
light on things you did not know before. Work out your questions in
your head, make them into sentences, and ask.

7. Read up ahead of time. It is good practice to be aware of what the
lesson or lecture is going to cover. Besides, who knows when your
teacher will set you a quiz, out of the blue? Of course, a surprise
quiz will probably help to keep you awake.

8. Sit next to a “calm” classmate. You need to sit next to somebody who
understands your issues and can help you to pay attention. You also
need to sit next to somebody who you can ask questions about the class.
You should not sit next to somebody who will persuade you to chat
through the entire lesson and destroy your concentration.

9. Pay attention. Keep your mind occupied by listening to what the
teacher has to say, not by letting your mind wander. If you suffer from
excessive bouts of daydreaming this can develop into cataplexy or
narcolepsy.

Go on, pay attention in your lessons and lectures. It might appear to
be the dullest of topics, but if you give it a chance then it might not
actually be that bad.