VOL. 6, NO. 15
MAY 14, 1965

Those Pills Mask Exhaustion
(Editor's Note: The following editorial is reprinted with permission from the Chicago Sun-Times.)

If you've ever held a water glass under a faucet that's turned on full blast, you know that all the splash and foam permits only half the glass to get filled. In a similar way, your brain retains only a small portion of the knowledge that you absorb from cramming.

Unfortunately, a little spilled knowledge is the smallest problem associated with cramming. Each time you burn the midnight oil for an exam, you also use up brain and nerve cells at a rapid rate. If you keep on studying for hours without rest or letup, you risk using more of these cells than your body can produce. When this happens, you're flirting with mental and nervous exhaustion.
 Mental and nervous exhaustion not only prevent you from doing your best in an examination, they can lead to serious and even permanent brain and nervous system disorders.

At this stage all the "stay awake pills" and coffee in the world won't do any good; in fact, they represent an added danger by masking your exhaustion and giving you the false feeling that you can go on for hours.

The best way to guard against the consequences of cramming is never to have to cram at all. This means laying out a regular study routine. You'll not only stay healthier, you'll stand a far better chance of passing that exam with flying colors.