When I was in school, I used to pull all-nighters whenever I had a term paper due the following day. I’m sure many fellow procrastinators can relate to spending precious time just preparing for the all-nighter rather than actually settling down to work and putting pen to paper. At seven or eight at night, I would be pacing up and down the aisles of the local convenience store, juggling bags of Doritos and four-packs of Red Bull. Sometimes, nervously eyeballing the containers of NoDoz and wondering how much I’d regret taking them — or not taking them.
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It was usually at around 2 or 3 AM when I started to crash, and those who can empathize know the distinct out-of-body torpor you feel when you hurtle into that “20-something-hours conscious” wall. You start making sense of the nonsensical, your mind drifts on tangents and the world around you seems as if it is buffering. All of a sudden, the amphetamine-driven epiphany you wrote ten pages back makes no sense and you manage to finish the paper as if you were in someone else’s head entirely. It’s not a good feeling, and rarely does it yield positive results.
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The parallel I’m trying to draw here is that a Midnight Prerelease is a lot like your term paper all-nighter. Anxiety plays a big part with both activities. You’re excited to finish that term paper, pass the class and move on with life, and before a Midnight Prerelease you’re excited to hang out with your friends all night, you’re excited to be the first to crack brand new packs, you’re excited to pull foil flip-Planeswalkers. In equal parts, however, is that nagging fear that things might go poorly. Just like you may stumble through writing a paper, open a really terrible pool and stumble through deckbuilding. Similar to failing to support your paper’s thesis, you might misplay during your Prerelease because you’re not familiar with the mechanics. Just like preparing for your all-nighter, you have a big task ahead of you and you need to gather your resources.
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Fortunately, the internet is as helpful for academic resources as it is for Magic-related content (but that’s a social commentary for a different article). You have tons of articles, videos, and podcasts at your fingertips. Familiarize yourself with the spoilers, check out full set-reviews, and find out what some of the best minds in Magic have to say about the set you’re about to encounter. There are a variety of diverse voices in the community, and by immersing yourself into these resources; you’ll get a better sense of what appeals to you in the new set. The most important thing you can do to mentally prepare, however, is join the conversation.
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Beyond the internet, your Local Game Store is a terrific resource for gaining knowledge about a new set. Strike up a conversation; find out what your friend’s favorite cards are. Maybe they won’t be your favorite, but when you get paired against your friend, or someone else playing those cards, you have that extra bit of knowledge to help you succeed. And don’t be afraid to speak your mind, if you think a card is really great (or really bad), let it be known. You might just change someone else’s opinion on a card and help them learn something new, too. Personally, I’ve found that many of the people I know through my local game store (Ice Imports) have helped me to become a better, more knowledgeable player not only through playing the game, but talking about it. Be careful not to overlook that!
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So, now you’ve visited the “library” of sorts and gathered information. Now what? How do you turn your preparation into positive results? You’ve already planned to spend the night taxing your brain, so the best thing you can do is plan ahead to make sure you’re comfortable doing so. Rest is obvious, but only because it is so key. If you can, try and take a nap. Getting a few hours of sleep outside of your normal schedule will help your body adjust to being awake later than usual. If you can’t take a nap, try to balance your daily responsibilities with some relaxation, like listening to music or going for a walk.
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The last thing is to come prepared. Just like you need your computer, books, and other references to write your great paper, you need to have all the tools to make a Midnight Prerelease enjoyable. Food and hydration are absolutely essential. Those who know me often see me with a backpack whenever I attend tournaments, and Midnight Prereleases aren’t any different. I always pack myself a bottle of water, and a healthy snack. I don’t mean to be anti-junk food, but the last thing your brain needs when it’s taxed is a load of sugar. If you had habits like I did back in school, shoveling Doritos and slurping energy drinks to make it through a long night, you’ll know that it’s not the best recipe for a successful, enjoyable all-nighter.
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Beyond nourishment, you’ll want to have your playmat, dice, and sleeves. Unless you have a ton of sleeves lying around at home, I’d recommend buying sleeves at your LGS before the prerelease. This way you know you have enough, and that they’re all in perfect condition. There’s nothing worse than taking 40 older sleeves to a prerelease and having one split open. You’ll also have those newer sleeves to use on your favorite Constructed deck afterward. While it’s wise to bring pen and paper to keep track of life totals (and also work out your mana base!) many stores keep stock of scrap paper and pens. Make sure you aren’t relying on a twenty-sided die throughout the night.
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The last bit of knowledge I’d like to impart is to have fun, and don’t push yourself. When you write a paper, sometimes you need to step away and take breaks. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t happen to play well at prerelease. Take a break to talk with your friends, and if you brought extra decks (if you’re coming to Ice Imports Midnight Prerelease, bring some EDH!) play some games for fun. If you’re feeling let down by your pool, perhaps find a friend to Pack Battle. However you choose to distract yourself after a loss make sure you enjoy it. Don’t let yourself get upset over a game.
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And play all your rounds! You only get to play with that pool for one tournament. So even if the first deck you build doesn’t turn out right, flex your creative muscle and try something different with it. You’ll not only open yourself to new experiences, you might even have more success with Plan B. Best of luck to everyone who goes to their respective prereleases, and hopefully I’ll see many of you burning the midnight oil with me this weekend.
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