Has anyone else noticed that a slight amount of alcohol can help you focus?

[Eeezee]

Whenever I get stuck on a difficult homework problem that I just can't seem to solve, I take a drink of something. For whatever reason, I don't run into any more difficult problems and I'm able to solve that problem fairly quickly.

I am nearly convinced that this is so, but I want to see if anyone else has had this experience. For example, just now I was trying to figure out the linear fractional transformation that maps |z| <= 1 onto |w| <= 1 such that z = i/2 is mapped onto w=0 and I just couldn't figure it out! So I grabbed my trusty vodka flask, sipped around half a shot, and EUREKA!

Is it coincidence that I do best on my homework when I've had a drink?

 

[cubby1223]

Alcohol just makes me want to drink more alcohol, which in turn makes for some interesting classwork assignments...

Anyways, it's probably not the alcohol, just that you were too deeply focused or frustrated, and needed a distraction for a bit to clear your mind.

 

[everman]

Many scientists have credited LSD to helping them significantly.

 

[George P Burdell]

I've seen a few people who walked down this road... some stopped in time, the rest went on to become alcoholics. You'll only be adding more problems to your life if you go on this way.

 

[Xyclone]

Originally posted by: everman
Many scientists have credited LSD to helping them significantly.

FTW?

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: Xyclone

Originally posted by: everman
Many scientists have credited LSD to helping them significantly.

FTW?

I'd try it, but with my luck I'd get a bad trip and be mentally scarred forever

 

[handoverfist]

I usually drink a beer before starting homework. I like to think it helps me. I've read it actually helps stimulate brain activity up until a certain threshold.

 

[Kyle]

Do you study while drinking? I heard that when you're drunk, you remember things in the past that happened when u were drunk- so study while drinking = remember material while drinking =)

 

[dxkj]

Originally posted by: George P Burdell
I've seen a few people who walked down this road... some stopped in time, the rest went on to become alcoholics. You'll only be adding more problems to your life if you go on this way.

Im not sure half a shot of vodka once a day is going to cause problems.

 

[dxkj]

Originally posted by: Kyle
Do you study while drinking? I heard that when you're drunk, you remember things in the past that happened when u were drunk- so study while drinking = remember material while drinking =)

Are you drunk?

I see your point, get drunk and study

Then get drunk and take a test


G2G

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: dxkj

Originally posted by: George P Burdell
I've seen a few people who walked down this road... some stopped in time, the rest went on to become alcoholics. You'll only be adding more problems to your life if you go on this way.

Im not sure half a shot of vodka once a day is going to cause problems.

Not even once a day, I haven't used this trick in over a month (usually it's not necessary)

I'm not drunk right now, but it is my understanding that you remember more for a test if you study under similar conditions. This is why taking a practice test in a classroom is more effective than taking a practice test in your living room.

I've ready about a few studies that have shown a correlation between higher test scores and similar studying environments, I just don't know if it also applies to mental state. The little bit of vodka just helps me loosen up. Less stress = more concentration, which helps me study better. Just half a shot to a shot is all it takes, and being a heavyweight (6 shots before I even feel it) means that I'm not really limiting my brain capacity.

Last time I did this was over a margarita, but I don't think that was quite as effective as a sip of vodka. I'm not sure why

 

[George P Burdell]

Originally posted by: dxkj

Originally posted by: George P Burdell
I've seen a few people who walked down this road... some stopped in time, the rest went on to become alcoholics. You'll only be adding more problems to your life if you go on this way.

Im not sure half a shot of vodka once a day is going to cause problems.

It's not the alcohol, but the psychological dependence on it, thats worrying me. I'm willing to bet that the OP would respond similarly to a placebo. (These cases may seem opposite to what the OP is experiencing, but the point remains the same).

Many people have a glass of wine everyday along with dinner... I'm not gonna call them alcoholics! But the OP's taking alcohol with the intention of helping him study.

In lower quantities, the alcohol has no harmful effects. But then the OPs gonna want more alcohol to help him focus. After a while he'll need it to help him sleep (disclaimer: I do this sometimes). Soon after, he'll need a dash of whisky in his morning coffee to help him get to class. But wait... soon you'll be mixing rum with your Coca Cola and taking it to class.

OP, all I'm saying is that I've seen this before, and it rarely ends well. But your thought process in this matter is not in your best interests.

 

[Eeezee]

Did I forget to mention that I do this once in a great while? It's not a dependence, since I had a margarita last time I did homework and it didn't help much. For some reason vodka has always done the trick.

That rules out the placebo effect (why didn't the margarita work?), so if anything it's chance or reduces stress ever so slightly, as alcohol is known to do.

In fact, I had less alcohol in half a shot than I had with that margarita. Like some other poster stated, up to a certain point it can be beneficial. Past that it's just a detriment. Half a shot seems to have a positive effect, whereas a full margarita glass was not beneficial. Not only am I being careful and only using alcohol when I feel like experimenting, but I'm using it in the smallest of quantities. I really don't see the harm.

 

[Kyle]

Originally posted by: dxkj

Originally posted by: Kyle
Do you study while drinking? I heard that when you're drunk, you remember things in the past that happened when u were drunk- so study while drinking = remember material while drinking =)

Are you drunk?

I see your point, get drunk and study

Then get drunk and take a test


G2G

I'll admit I am a bit tipsey....but I DID learn that while sober in a class at UW so the theory is good- maybe i didnt make sense when I tried to explain it though =)

 

[TheGizmo]

a dose of LSD sure will do a wonder for your mind if taken in the right environment

 

[davestar]

another thread in which someone wants to impress people with the funny words in his math homework

 

[Balt]

Has anyone else noticed that a slight amount of alcohol can help you focus?

No, but I have noticed that sometimes I remember things while drunk that I can't remember while sober. People's names in particular.

 

[meltdown75]

when i'm playing pool, i think i'm a better shot after a few wobbly pops.

golf... it can help you loosen up but it's a fine line.

 

[effowe]

I used to have a study beer or two back when I started college to help me along. I would say the majority of the time the studying turned into drinking after the second beer, so yeah not a good idea.

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: davestar
another thread in which someone wants to impress people with the funny words in his math homework

Actually, this thread is about drinking and studying

 

[moshquerade]

caffeine does it for me

 

[thecoolnessrune]

You just think its helping you.

 

[SurgicalShark]

Originally posted by: George P Burdell

Originally posted by: dxkj

Originally posted by: George P Burdell
I've seen a few people who walked down this road... some stopped in time, the rest went on to become alcoholics. You'll only be adding more problems to your life if you go on this way.

Im not sure half a shot of vodka once a day is going to cause problems.

It's not the alcohol, but the psychological dependence on it, thats worrying me. I'm willing to bet that the OP would respond similarly to a placebo. (These cases may seem opposite to what the OP is experiencing, but the point remains the same).

Many people have a glass of wine everyday along with dinner... I'm not gonna call them alcoholics! But the OP's taking alcohol with the intention of helping him study.

In lower quantities, the alcohol has no harmful effects. But then the OPs gonna want more alcohol to help him focus. After a while he'll need it to help him sleep (disclaimer: I do this sometimes). Soon after, he'll need a dash of whisky in his morning coffee to help him get to class. But wait... soon you'll be mixing rum with your Coca Cola and taking it to class.

OP, all I'm saying is that I've seen this before, and it rarely ends well. But your thought process in this matter is not in your best interests.

good advice.