As Augusta's college students face finals, experienced procrastinators are stocking up on caffeine-laced supplies and balancing out their sleep debt in preparation.

But even conscientious students can be overwhelmed by the workload piled on by professors in the final days of classes.

Heather Clark, a freshman at Augusta State University, said she has tried to pull all-nighters but ends up falling asleep around 2 a.m. When she wakes up early to try to finish her work, she goes through the rest of the day exhausted.

So how do experience crammers survive college's torture test of sleep deprivation?

"There's no set way to pull an all-nighter. Just drink a lot of caffeine and do what you got to do," said Toby Forbes, a junior from Grovetown.

These days he splits up work into manageable parts to get it done ahead of time. When that's not possible, he gets up early to finish the work.

Anything to avoid the scenario of the all-nighter.

"It's not a good idea. That's like asking for tips on drunk driving," he said.

Jake Mace swears by Adderall and "quad shot" sized Monsters – 32-ounce caffeine and Guarana drinks that comes in juice and java flavors.

Yes, he does have a prescription for the ADHD drug. But he has a hard time finding the super-sized version of the energy drink.

The ASU junior said he pulls six or seven all-nighters every semester, and the Raceway on Washington Road is the most reliable spot to find the quad shot.

Burnt out on Red Bull and other energy drinks, Emilie Bellinger – a senior history major – said she has switched to smoothies. She prefers the Pep Upper from Smoothie King as her caffeine vehicle of choice.

Some choose to drink their way through exams. No, not caffeine. Mace said some of his friends find alcohol a good stress relief as they sit through tests.

Junior Stephanie Campbell takes a more studious approach and warned against last-minute "crash study" sessions.

When you go in for your final, chewing gum helps brain function, she said. Energy drinks are not your friend because your body will crash.

Clark, the freshman who falls asleep mid-way through her all-nighters, said she won't drink energy drinks because she heard they speed up heart rates and are bad for the body. She sticks to a single mug of coffee instead.

But upperclassmen weren't the only students with successful techniques. Some wise ASU freshmen shared their tips, too.

Leaving his house helps Kaleb Hornsby get away from the distractions of his wife and pets. To avoid the temptation of going to bed, the computer science student from Texas buys a latte downtown.

Listening to fast music helps Jessica Kidd type faster late at night, the music major said.

Michael Gross, a freshman from Augusta, suggested taking breaks to keep from crashing, but added that preparation is necessary beforehand.

"You got to get some sleep in before the night – at least three hours."