I have been so used to a routine that coming to college has messed with the daily patterns I was used to. In high school, classes started and ended at the same time every day, so I would have to be asleep by around 11:00 to wake up on time. However, my earliest classes are now at 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM, so I need to manage when I go to sleep and what I choose to do with my time.
No one ever really told me how much your sleep patterns get affected in school, but thinking about it now, it makes sense. In college, you don’t have a parent telling you when to come home, and your routine is completely up to you now. I have noticed that I don’t get tired until around 1:00 AM, and I get out of bed 15 minutes before my classes start.
I have been in college for only two months now, but I have noticed that I’ve been consumed by spending time with new friends or doing schoolwork. I have not given myself a set time to go to bed or even worked on my nighttime care routine. Providing ourselves with more balance while adjusting to college life is important. As much as it is necessary to grow our social life and calendar, it is even more important to listen to our bodies and minds and what they need. If you find yourself sleepy after your first class, take a quick nap. If you feel too exhausted after doing schoolwork to go to your friend’s room, tell them you need to rest. It could also be very beneficial to create a schedule on a calendar, sticky note, or journal.
Technology is another major factor in sleep loss, not just in college. I’ve found that sometimes when I need sleep, it helps to put my phone on Do Not Disturb, and put it on my bedside table. In the end, you are not doing anyone a favor by exhausting yourself, you need to rest. You are the most important person you need to take care of, and sometimes we don’t realize how extremely important it is to sleep.