Austin Mayor watched 20 economics lectures in three days.
The 18-year-old accounting freshman’s exam was days away, and his routine was set. He’d go to class, come home and watch four or five lectures straight.
“It’s what I’ve been doing since middle and high school,” he said.
But a recent study from the University of California, Los Angeles found that cramming before exams can be counterproductive to academic success. The study said less sleep led to more academic problems.
Cari Gillen-O’Neel, a researcher with the study, said students who assume all-nighters are beneficial might be wrong.
“That’s why they’re sacrificing sleep, because they feel like it works,” she said. “Our data suggests the opposite.”
Mayor said he thinks his memory is good enough to cram right before exams, but he said it’s harder to retain the information he learns.
“Until it becomes a problem, I’ll keep doing what works,” he said.
GatorWell health promotion specialist Jane Emmeree said college students often have to juggle multiple classes and a lot of deadlines, which can lead to poor time management.
“They tend to focus on the important and urgent things,” she said. “They tend to underestimate how long it’s going to take to do something.”
Students should dedicate a few hours to studying every week, Emmeree said, even if they don’t have any impending tests.
“We have very bright students, and they know what they should be doing,” she said. “It’s just sorting it all out.”
Dave Pittman, right, 35, is tutored by Tshi Tshi Kalala, 38, in Swahili. Pittman is a second-year sustainable development practice graduate student, and Tshi Tshi Kalala is a tutor for the University Athletic Association.
