Waking up early for class sucks. But hitting the snooze button 5 times before finally getting out of bed is no way to get a jump on the day, yet it is very common practice among college students. This excessive snoozing can mostly be attributed to drinking too much the night before or staying up too late cramming for a test. It is so hard just to roll out of bed, throw on some pants, and head to class, that many students don’t even think about eating breakfast, showering, or developing a morning routine.
If you frequently find yourself scrambling out the door and showing up late to class, then maybe you should experiment with a few of these tips to get your day started with a bang!
1. Get Enough Sleep
This is perhaps the most important of the list. If you don’t get adequate sleep, then there is little chance that you will have a productive day. So step one, go to bed early enough to get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
2. Eat Breakfast
Not only should you eat breakfast, but you should make sure to eat a healthy and fueling breakfast. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it is probably going to need to provide all your energy until lunch rolls around. Have you ever tried to take a test without any food in your stomach? It’s very hard to concentrate. Eat breakfast to avoid this.
3. Do Something Active
After eating breakfast, you should now have some energy available to burn. Get your blood flowing by stretching, going for a run, walking your dog, riding your bike, etc. Being active in the morning will completely wake you up and clear your mind so you will be ready for the day.
4. Shower
There is something about running water over your face that will just wake you up instantly. Plus, you are going to need a shower if you just went for a nice morning run, or if you are hung over from the night before.
5. Plan Your Day
Pull out your agenda, and see what your day looks like. Plan something fun for any free time you have. This will give you something to look forward to as you are going through your school day. It is also nice to have an outlook on what your day is going to look like.
6. Develop a Routine
This one may take some time, but eventually you will find the perfect balance for your morning routine. Once you find this balance, it is important to stick with it and try and go through it every morning. This will get your body adjusted to it and make mornings so much better.
A Jump on the Day
For me, mornings are my most productive time of the day, and it’s a good feeling knowing that I have accomplished some things before many students have yet to wake up. Plus, it is always nice to walk into an 8am class refreshed and ready to learn, after being awake for an hour or two.
What do you do to get your day started?