Last semester, I had 8 a.m. classes and unlike everyone else, I did not dread them. Here are six habits that can help you getting to your 8 a.m. class on time more bearable, without a nap during the day because let’s be real, sleep is a luxury.
1. Go to bed earlier
Everyone wants to stay up late in college, there is so much to do at night, whether it’s hanging out with friends or attempting to study. If you expect to successfully get up earlier, you need to go to bed earlier. When you get up earlier, your hours of sleep tend to twindle. My advice is to try to get eight hours of sleep a night to have a successful next day. Take a good look at your schedule to figure out how to get to bed early and avoid distractions. If you are trying to get up at 7 a.m., then be in your room to get ready for bed by 10pm and go to bed by 11pm the latest. You can even use sleep trackers to determine what time you should go to sleep based off your body’s sleep schedule.
2. Prepare the night ahead
Are you tired of waking up scatterbrained and just throwing on the closest things near you? WelI, I promise that spending a half hour at night to get ready will change your life. Make sure that you get ready the night before by packing your bag and lay out your outfit the day before. You can easily look put together and never forget your homework again by making this a nightly habit. I was even able to sneak in some time for a 5 or 10 minute makeup session by setting up my look the night ahead.
3. Eat breakfast
I know way too many people that choose to skip breakfast before going to class. In my own experience, skipping breakfast caused me to be a distraction and honestly to feel sick. It is important to make sure you eat something. Have something already in your dorm that you can take. It doesn’t need to be a huge meal with eggs and pancakes, just eat something small like a breakfast bar, granola bar, fruit or breakfast cookie. Make sure that you look at the nutrition facts because not all food is created equal and you should avoid breakfast with long ingredient lists and a lot of processed sugar. Just use your common sense and remember to be conscious of what your choice of breakfast is.
4. Set an alarm
Most people can not change their sleep schedule and allow their body to wake up on time.You need to remember to set an alarm. I avoid harsh bells and noises, but you should choose something you can wake up too. I prefer soft and delicate sounds because my body can slowly wake up without panicking. After a while, you may not need an alarm because your body will become used to your sleep schedule.
5. Bring coffee, tea or water
Everyone seems to love coffee, but I know that some people are sensitive to caffeine. I have recently noticed a huge trend of people who are limiting or eliminating their coffee intake because of their health. I generally just find it helpful to have something to drink in class because it helps me pay attention in class. I have personally found even water works. Next time you feel yourself about to drift to sleep, take a sip of a hot drink or some cold water.
6. Don’t hit snooze
The snooze button is public enemy number one for anyone who wants to wake up early. It’s actually ineffective to keep hitting snooze. It will make you feel more tired because you will not be able to enter another REM sleep cycle. It’s more effective to set your alarm an hour before you have to leave and actually get up at that time.
Now, you actually have time to be prepared for the day and won’t walk into the class like a zombie.