Long Night Against Procrastination – Sugar Crush, Procrastination Crash
On March 17th, in the heat of the last month of the semester, St. Thomas University hosted the “Long night against procrastination” (LNAP) from 5 pm to midnight at James Dunn Hall (J
DH). Walking into the building, seeing all the orange baskets full of sweets and snacks and exciting students, people may think it was a Halloween event
This event has been a long tradition of the STU community, and this year is the first time it has happened after the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose was to motivate students to complete their schoolwork while having healthy breaks throughout the night to be relaxed and bond with their peers.
James Dunn Hall was crowded and full of a supportive atmosphere during the long night. Students studied together in groups, keeping each other accountable to meet their due dates. Some chose to socialize by going from table to table. Nonetheless, smiles and laughers were everywhere. Some students would even say it was a long night for procrastination, not against, but in a good way.
Kath Hyndman, the Student Success Coach, organized the LNAP in hopes that it will boost students’ energy and carry them through the final few weeks of the semester. Kath also empathized with students’ uncertainty and stress during this academic year.
“We’re in March. It’s a tough time for a lot of students. This year, with COVID and the hybrid of in-person and online, this is just an opportunity for us to come together,” Kath shared.
For many students, this was their first big in-person event; for some, it was some of their last on campus. Monic Boquin, a fourth-year student from Honduras, expressed her nostalgia about her time at St. Thomas, being at the LNAP again after 2 years.
“During my first LNAP, I guess it was the first time I interacted with upper-year students. I got more sense of community because we were all working together. It helped me to be more productive, while at the same, kinda having a break from all the burden of school,” Monica said.
There were lots of free foods and drinks to keep students energized and focused. The organizers carefully prepared from granola bars, fruits, pizzas, cupcakes to coffee and hot chocolate. Other than studying, it seemed like free foods really assembled lots of off-campus students to gather.
Probably the highlights of the LNAP were the STUdent Success Workshops and de-stress sessions offered. Understanding that students need to maintain good mental health for finals season, since 5 pm, there were workshops for coping with anxiety, time management, healthy habits, and more.
Students may find themselves scrolling through social media during breaks when studying alone at home, which is draining and worsens their production process. With the de-stress craft stations at the LNAP, students got to do productive and restful holidays, helping them to feel relaxed and keeping their eyes from the electric screens.
The trivia sessions also attracted lots of attendees. The show’s star was the Harry Potter session, giving students a ride back to childhood while keeping them energized.
By midnight, students came back from the LNAP feeling refreshed and motivated for the last push of the semester before the summer break.
