We’re now five weeks into the semester, and unfortunately, you all know what that means. Yes, the first round of exams has begun. You’ve been in your classes just long enough to slightly comprehend what’s going on, and the time has finally come for your professors to drill you on it. Sadly, you don’t have a say in the matter.

To prepare for your first big exam of the semester, common knowledge suggests you review notes, make flashcards, and take practice tests many weeks in advance. Or, you could resort to my personal favorite study method: pulling an all-nighter.

Pulling an all-nighter takes finesse. It’s not a walk in the park. You need nourishment, which usually takes the form of a gallon of coffee and whatever fried food may be readily available. You’ll need your laptop, notebook, textbook, kindle, tablet, or whatever the hell kids use these days. Also, you might as well download Pocket Points and see how many discounts you can squeeze out of it. (Don’t worry, nobody’s texting you at 4 a.m.)

However, the most important component of an all-nighter is where it takes place. It makes or breaks your productivity, mood, and comfort while studying, therefore you must choose wisely. If you’re contemplating on pulling a dreaded all-nighter, here are the seven spots where you can study, cry, and then repeat.

1. Your Apartment:

Sure, it’s not the most glamorous option. But think about it. You have the comfort of familiar surroundings to make the night a little less shitty. You have a fully stocked fridge, and there’s no frigid walk home when you call it a night (or morning). Added bonus: studying in your pajamas.

2. Atherton Hall Basement:

This is a little-known fact on campus: The main entrance to Atherton Hall stays open during business hours. Long story short, the doors remain unlocked since there are a lot of events for the honors college that are open to non-Atherton residents. This open door policy makes Atherton Hall the ideal study space, not to mention the basement’s couches and high tables. So, if you camp out in a spot before 5 p.m., you’re pretty much golden to study for as long as you please. Who knows, maybe some of the Schreyer kid’s genius will rub off on you.

3. Dunkin Donuts:

The appeal of pulling an all-nighter in Dunkin is that you only have to walk about 20 feet to re-fuel on caffeine. And of course, there’s all the donuts you could ever imagine, want, or need. Just don’t start binging on them after all hope is lost.

4. Second or Third Floor HUB:

The large tables on the ground floor HUB are ideal for group study sessions, but what if you need some alone time? When that happens, you only need to ride the elevator up two or three floors. There, an oasis of luxurious couches and armchairs awaits you. The study spot usually clears out around 10 p.m., and at that point, it’s time to get to work until you finally crash early in the morning.

5. Hammond Classrooms:

Hammond is one of the closest buildings to downtown, so it’s easily accessible to those off-campus. Plus, having an entire classroom to yourself will make you feel pretty damn special. You can blast music at full volume and sing as long as you please. Who cares if people hear you. It’s not like there’s a class next door.

6. West Commons Computer Labs:

You don’t have to live in a dorm to take advantage of the resources that common areas like West offer. Say your laptop isn’t working for whatever reason, or you just prefer to work on a desktop, then this is the place for you. If you’re like me and don’t own a printer, pulling an all-nighter with a printer readily available just makes sense.

7. Any Library:

Obviously.

8. Don’t:

Seriously, just don’t.

Photo: Penn State News