Ah, spring semester. Just one more semester till summer. It’s tough, because after Winter Break, you’re hesitant to do any schoolwork, let alone go to class. But you know you must. And what’s worse? You have an 8 a.m. Not because you wanted to have one (though no judgments if you did), but because it was your only option. You’re not sure how you’re going to survive this semester. You’ve become so accustomed to sleeping till 2 p.m.! No worries, my friend, for I’m here to help. You’ll be a morning person in no time.
Set An Alarm
This is self-explanatory. It’s the start of the new semester and you have the misfortune of having to take an 8 a.m. This may be your first. Or, perhaps, 8 a.m.’s are a common nuisance in your life. Regardless, they’re never fun, unless you’re a morning person (and really, who is nowadays). So, to push through the sleep in your eyes, set an alarm. It’s simple. And if a simple jingle won’t get your body up, make your alarm a song you enjoy (or not, because you may grow to hate it. This is crucial). Or better yet, make your alarm so obnoxious a sound/song that you’ll be forced to wake up and turn it off. To boost your level of commitment, put your phone somewhere out of your reach. That way, you’ll be forced to get up to turn it off. Because really, do you want to hear Justin Bieber’s “Baby” for more than a solid minute?
Ask a Friend to Wake You Up
Say an alarm won’t do it, and despite your best efforts to wake up via alarm, they fail. You’re running out of hope that you’ll ever make it to this 8 a.m. But, fear not, for I have a solution: Friends. Or better yet, roommates. And since roommates and friends are usually one in the same, perfect! So, if your alarm fails, just ask your good friend to wake you up instead. If you both have an 8 a.m., this set-up is flawless. If not, well, you could still ask your friend for a favor. (You did clean out the fridge last time, so they kinda owe you.) Your friend can wake you up by knocking on your door, coming into your room and shaking you, or even by calling and yelling into your ear. You know, something all good friends do. Give it a shot! Because trying is always better than getting a failing grade.
Set Multiple Alarms
I’m really thinking outside of the box here. But really, if one alarm won’t do the job, who’s to say that two won’t? Or even three? Maybe four? Let’s not stop there. Set an alarm for every minute up until 8 a.m., so when you finally hit that last alarm, you’ll not only be awake, but you’ll be able to look dejectedly at your phone and tell yourself you’ll do better next time. “I’ll be awake by the fifth alarm, for sure this time!” No more sleeping till the tenth alarm and missing class. You can also attach little notes to each alarm, you know, for motivation. The first could read “Get up!”, while the second could be a bit more inspiring, like, “How do you expect to become richer than Oprah if you can’t wake up?” Okay so that’s a bit lengthy, but you get my drift. Set those alarms! It won’t hurt.
Go to Bed Earlier
The reason you may be having trouble getting up could be because you’re not used to getting only four hours of sleep. Over break, you could sleep at 3 a.m. and wake up by 1 p.m. That’s ten hours of sleep, easy. If you go to sleep at 3 a.m. while school is in session, you get five hours of sleep due to your 8 a.m., and that’s not nearly enough to keep you focused. So go to bed! Yes, it’s hard, having become used to sleeping late and waking up whenever you want. However, you’re back in school, and you can’t afford to sleep through every class. You won’t learn that way. Plus, if there’s an attendance policy, no bueno. Failing won’t be fun. Don’t want to lower that already fantastic GPA! You know you want to be cum laude, so get a good eight hours of sleep. Your body will thank you (as will your professor).
Adjust Your Circadian Rhythm
Basically, adjust your internal clock. No more staying up till midnight and being wide awake. By that time, you should be tired, if not exhausted. It’s all Winter Break’s doing; it’s got you in the bad habit of staying up late and thinking you’ll be fine in the morning. You won’t be. Trust me, when I had an 8 a.m., I figured I could go about my 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. routine, but alas, I ended up missing more class than I wanted. So adjust that clock! This goes hand in hand with going to bed earlier. The earlier you go to bed, the more adjusted your internal clock will be. Once you get in the habit of sleeping at 10 p.m., you’ll be so refreshed and well rested in the morning, you won’t know why you didn’t do this sooner! Yes, it’s a drag, but hey, why not try it! And if you want, make a deal with yourself: three out of the five days of the week, go to bed at a reasonable hour (if you have 8 a.m.’s every day), and for the other two days, stay up as late as you want. Basically, adjust accordingly. You won’t regret it.