How can I stop myself from getting sleepy when I study?

First of all, snacks—but the right snacks. Feeding your body can also feed your brain: choose something somewhat healthy (chocolate-covered almonds, for instance) that you also enjoy. Particularly when reading a textbook, it’s easy to drift off—even if your eyes are moving over the words, your brain isn’t necessarily processing it. Stop after each paragraph and ask yourself to summarize it. Don’t let yourself get too far without making sure you’re actually retaining what you’ve read. Finally, find other ways to engage in active (instead of passive) studying. For instance, rather than reading or rereading a chapter, create physical flashcards that cover the material and quiz yourself.