There never seems to be enough time in the morning—especially if you are a girl. If you’re one of those girls who is tired of having to choose between doing your make-up and grabbing your morning Tim’s, these tips are for you!
TIP #1 – Pick out your clothes the night before
Choosing an outfit can be a lengthy process, particularly during the first few weeks at a new school. Giving yourself time the night before to plan an outfit also guarantees you will look your best (instead of rushed and dishevelled). Looking up the weather forecast online at the beginning of the week is a good way to ensure you don’t wear your favourite mini-skirt out on a chilly Ottawa morning! It will also warn you to take a sweater or raincoat with you for the afternoon, so you won’t be tricked by sunny mornings. While you’re at it you might as well pack your school bag for the next day as well.
TIP #2—Brew your own coffee
Not only does this save you a bunch of money, but it saves you time too! Brewing your own coffee takes about five minutes, all you need to do is fill the machine with water and pour in some coffee grinds.
If you are really low on time you can even fill a travel mug with hot water and throw in some instant coffee mix! The bonus is that while you are waiting for your morning coffee to brew you can use that time to do other things, like brush your teeth or do your make-up. Compared to walking all the way to Tim Horton’s and then waiting in line (have you ever been to residence commons at 8:15 a.m.?!) for another ten minutes, home-brewed coffee is a godsend. ?NOTE: Absolutely addicted to Tim Horton’s or Starbucks? Buy their take-home coffee blends and make it yourself!
TIP #3—Multitask
The key to maximizing sleep and minimizing morning stress is using every second productively. For instance, when you turn the kettle on, don’t just sit around waiting for the water to boil, use those precious minutes to brush your teeth, comb your hair or send a last minute email. It is so easy to wander around aimlessly like a sleepy zombie, but unless you want to run to class, it’s best to use your time wisely.
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TIP #4—Always have the essentials on you
Do you carry a purse, backpack, or laptop bag to class with you?
Throwing your bare essentials (basic make-up, hand cream, hair ties, snack bar, etc.) will allow you to save a potentially disastrous morning. Say you wake up at 8:23am for your 8:35am class; you only have time to put on your shoes, grab your bag and run. You arrive to class out of breath with five minutes to spare; since you have all of your essentials on you, you can tie up your hair, throw on some make-up, and have a light breakfast—disaster avoided. Always having these things in your most frequently used bag means that you do not have to go scavenging for supplies in the morning, giving you peace of mind and a solution to a rushed morning.
TIP #5—Keep your keys in sight
Your keys and your campus card are a necessary part of daily life on campus (especially if you are in residence!) and they are coincidentally some of the hardest things to find in the morning.
You find yourself wondering, “How did my card get into yesterday’s jeans and my keys under the bed?!” Fear no more, there is an easy solution to this dilemma: put your keys and your card onto a lanyard, and then use a pin on a corkboard or a peg by the door to hang up your keys as soon as you get home. This trick also works with mittens and hats in the winter months; simply allocate a basket or rack to outdoor accessories and remember to put them straight back in there when you take them off.
Photo Sources:
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http://c1eatdrinkbettercom.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2012/01/Can-Fre…
http://www.canvashandbagshop.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df…
http://www.susiedavis.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/key_bowl_quiet.jpg