Hi Wrenwrench
Welcome to SR
I always found having a definite plan to follow with essays helped me...I also got more focused as the deadline loomed LOL
with regards to the alcohol...for tonight, make sure you're as rested as possible (I know hard to do, but try to make sure you're not stressing too much)...also make sure you're not hungry...and soft drinks, hard candies or dried fruits can do wonders sometimes, if you have something like that in the house...
For next week - have you considered hitting an AA meeting, or joining some other recovery programme?
Big binges don't have to happen. Don't resign yourself to that if you really want to change.
good luck with the assignment
D