Hey, wake up. Wake up! You were starting to drool — that’s a dead give-away that you are nodding off in class. Yeah, yeah, we know: this is your least favorite class. It’s too bad because you have to take this class, and you have to pass it. So buckle yourself in and have a look at some tips to get you through the painful lectures and make sure that you don’t have to take them again next term (or ever).

Learn to sleep with your eyes open. No, it’s not easy but you’ll be richly and restfully rewarded, now and in the future, for mastering this skill. Several websites are dedicated to teaching this skill: most of them were written by people who have been sitting exactly where you are (check under the seat, one of these guys left his gum behind).

Catch up on your texting. Of course you’ll need to be discrete here as this activity is generally frowned upon in the world of academia. Consider learning to text with your toes.  Your prof will never suspect your feet and if he does, you can complain that he doesn’t look his students in the eye while he teaches.

Master several “that is so fascinating!” looks. Some key faces include: one arched brow and a slow nodding of the head; or a gentle slap of the palm against the forehead. Practice in front of the bathroom mirror. Having a variety of these looks will keep your lecturer certain that he is holding you in rapt attention.

Take notes — on things that need to be done as soon as you are released from class.  Short things like shopping lists or errands will keep your mind invigorated.

Take notes on the lecture. Huh? Listen, if you’re hating-on the class then surely others are feeling the same way. Why not use your boredom to bring in some extra cash: consider selling your notes to your sleepy co-eds.

Learn some meditation techniques (yeah, we just love meditation here in this blog): these suckers are masters at modulating consciousness. Moving into the deep Alpha waves of brain activity is both restful as well as rejuvenating. Most of these techniques ask that you keep your eyes open, so nobody around you will suspect that you are not ‘fully there’.