I was once just like you (who am I kidding, I still am) — dreading that ear-piercing alarm every morning that screams at you to get your day started. I would regularly ask myself, “what crazy person wakes up early, by choice, for a 5 a.m. workout, a sunrise yoga breakfast or to run their full side-hustles all before their 9-5 officially starts?” Sure, influencers TOLD me that “being a morning person changes your life” and “no successful person sleeps the morning away!” but sometimes, quite frankly, sleeping those extra minutes DOES make the difference.
I’m not going to tell you what you HAVE to do; our toxic productivity culture does enough of that already. What I will share is how I’ve established a motivating morning routine as a college student, especially during COVID. In our world of uncertainty, the one thing that has stuck with me is my routine — finding your own grants you stability and a set of healthy habits to get you ready to tackle your day!
- Rise and Shine
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Waking up early so you have more time to be productive? Sounds straightforward enough, right? While this may be the obvious case, I believe that waking up early actually relieves stress. Giving myself time allows me to start my mornings calmly, collectively and with ease. After all, rushing to get things accomplished will only create more stress for the day to come. And remember, DON’T HIT THE SNOOZE AND DON’T CHECK YOUR MESSAGES WHEN YOU FIRST GET UP. We are all guilty of both, but getting that momentary relief of 5 extra minutes or getting distracted responding to the laundry list of emails as the first thing you do is not helping you either (don’t worry, there comes time for that)! If you find it difficult to wake up, some people find it easier to change their nightmare-ish alarm to something more relaxing, while others benefit from putting their phone on the other side of their room, requiring them to get out of bed to turn it off!
- CHUG THAT H20
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I always keep a big reusable water bottle next to my bed for nighttime thirsts, and for this reason. I promise you, even if you don’t realize it, YOU’RE DEHYDRATED, SO DRINK UP!
- Make Your Bed
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People say making your bed in the morning is a great way to stay clean and check one item off your to-do list right away. I say it’s just so I don’t snuggle back into it (but hey, whatever gets you to do it). Especially when most of us spend so much time in our rooms during online classes, making your bed is one way to declutter your space and help you focus on your courses.
- ~Breathe~
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It’s so important to take moments for yourself, and what better time to do so than when you get up! Taking a moment for yourself to do something, anything, that clears your mind and allows you to focus on yourself is a game-changer. For me, this means both journaling and meditation. I found it difficult to know where to start when journaling, so I got The Five Minute Journal (which I do every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to bed) that serves as a guide. Journaling is a great way to set your intentions for the rest of the day and the prompts given to you in this journal help center your focus! I also have gotten into meditation — giving myself just five minutes to close my eyes, quiet my mind, and recenter. I love using the Peloton App guided meditations. Many people also love Calm.
- Time to Fuel (and caffeinate)
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I wouldn’t be myself without my morning coffee ritual and that’s a fact. After my meditation, it’s time for my coffee. As I drink up, I let myself go through emails, messages and my calendar to get situated for the day. This is when I like to write little “to-dos” and reminders. Once that cup of coffee is done, I’m done — PHONE DOWN! This is when I usually eat a light breakfast to fuel my body too!
- Up and at ’em
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I’m not going to lie to you and say I get myself all put together with jeans, a sweater, booties and a beanie to start my winter day off in style. I will always still go for the leggings and oversized hoodie for my Zoom classes. However, changing out of your clothes into something you feel comfortable and confident in, whether a “real” outfit or sporting your athleisure wear, encourages you to start the day with a positive attitude. Though you may WANT to stay in pajamas all day (no one would know!), this can get you into a funk. So, get dressed, do that skincare routine, don’t you dare forget that SPF and get ready to tackle your day.
- Get Moving
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I try and get my body moving every morning. Whether that means hustling down to the gym or doing some stretches in my dorm before classes, getting your blood flowing is another fantastic way to make you feel your best.
In the middle of Evanston winter, there aren’t always birds chirping and an inviting sun peaking through your windows to get you up for your early morning class, so incorporating a morning routine helps get you out of bed and start your day off right!
I hope that by incorporating one, or all, of these morning rituals, you will be able to add just a little bit of joy into your crazy life as a college student during COVID. It’s so easy to slip into a trap of living out the same unproductive, tired and boredom-filled day amid Zoom classes and socially distanced hangouts, but adding these routines will help you break that cycle and have control of your life!