For those of us who are not morning people 8ams SUCK. Good for you if you are one of those weird cheerful people who love to get up before everyone and start their day but most of us, especially college students, are not big fans of taking classes at 8am. I have found for myself that I can do 9am with little grumpiness but 8ams are where I fall.
It is not my class time of choice but sometimes (like this semester for me) you just can’t get around it. I have 8ams every day of the week *cries* and it has required a new level of planning for me to be able to get up and go every day. It doesn’t always work, nothing ever does, but here are some ways I’ve found to make getting up and going to class early just a little less dreadful.
Try to pick interesting classes
If there is any way you can schedule classes you won’t despise going to at 8 o’clock in the morning, do it. There is nothing worse than having to get up early for a class you could care less about.
Set a bedtime… and stick to it
This is one of the hardest things to do, especially in college when the day to day is variable based on activities and homework and outings. But I have found it is much easier to get up early if I have been going to bed around the same time every night. I try to get to bed between 11 and 11:30 every day and even when it doesn’t work it helps to have the goal.
Make a bedtime that works best for you. Try looking at a sleep calculator like the one I have linked below to help see what is the best times for you to go to sleep to get enough REM cycles before you have to wake up. It makes a big difference in how rested you feel.
Create a morning schedule
Creating a morning schedule will help your body begin to form a habit. I have things I do every morning and because it has become a habit I can basically go through it still half asleep. Which is great when I am still exhausted but have to get to class.
Start by making a list of everything you have to do between getting up and leaving for class. Then add anything else you want to try and get done in that time. Eating a specific breakfast, doing stretches, taking some time to read, etc. It helps to throw in something to look forward to every morning to get you motivated. Especially on those days when all you want to do is sleep.
Drink water before you drink coffee
Hydration is important and by starting off your day with a glass of water you help to wake up your senses and get your body systems started right. Then grab your coffee in a to-go cup to have on your way or during class.
Don’t reach for your phone
It is the most tempting thing to do when you wake up, but scrolling first thing in the morning isn’t helping anyone. Get up, get ready, and if you still have time then take 5 minutes to check your phone before class.
Try not to snooze
Early morning’s worst habit is hitting the snooze button. If you start to fall asleep right after you wake up, only to be startled awake by your alarm 8 minutes later you are going to feel more groggy. So don’t do it or if you must…
Snooze with purpose.
If you must snooze, set your alarm early enough to not be rushing after you press it. Plus don’t actually go back to sleep when you hit it if you don’t want to be groggy. Keep your mind moving to avoid falling asleep and take the snooze time to help yourself wake up slowly.
Get everything ready the night before
This is probably the biggest thing I can recommend to help with surviving 8ams. Once I started getting my stuff together and setting out clothes the night before the quicker my morning schedule went because I wasn’t rushing around trying to find my left shoe or where I put my notebook. It is also perfect for the days you find yourself snoozing one too many times and have barely enough time to get up and get out the door.
Make a happy morning playlist
Create a playlist of whatever it is that is going to help start your day off in a good mood. For me, that is a playlist filled with calm, soft songs that aren’t too overstimulating.
Have you had to take 8am classes and do you actually enjoy getting up early? Comment below and tell me about your 8am class stories and what you do to get yourself up in the morning.
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