Let’s be honest. As college students, waking up is hard. The urge to shut off your alarm and skip class is very real. Alas, I got the opportunity to break that vicious cycle this semester. As part of my internship, I have to be at work at 9:30 a.m. You may be saying, “well 9:30 isn’t too bad,” except it is when you have to drive 40 minutes to get to your internship! Of course on top of this, I want to look nice seeing as I’m in a professional environment and I can be a bit of a diva when it comes to putting effort into hair and makeup. While this internship is only twice a week, I also have an early class that requires me to dress and look my best because we practice news anchoring on camera. Between these three days and my early work schedule for my other job on Friday, I’ve gotten into the habit of waking up early on my own. It’s tough, but it’s worth it, and here’s why.
The real world starts now
I’m a soon-to-be graduating senior. Waking up early is going to be my whole life after college, especially in the industry of broadcast news where I’m either going to wake up at the crack of dawn or work overnights. Might as well practice now while I have time to rest before I don’t! This cycle has helped me so much with preparedness, seeing that by the end of the day I’m ready to pass out. It means being responsible and packing lunch a couple of days prior, picking out my outfits the night before, and making sure all my work is done so I can have a more relaxed wake-up call. Also, this could be a personal opinion, but dressing nicely helps me to feel more productive throughout the day. Fake it till you make it as they say!
Benefit after benefit
Weirdly enough, waking up early gives me more energy! Once you get in a good habit of it, the act becomes less taxing. After powering through the initial groggy phase of waking up, it feels more like you’re a contributing member of society. My car ride definitely helps with the grogginess because I blast music the whole time. And when you finally get in the zone, you’re locked in. As long as you fuel yourself with food and water before it’s time to work, your brain functions better in the morning when you’re at peak energy. It’s funny because this is all coming from a girl who is on epilepsy medication and needs her sleep to be a fully functioning human! Even when I go out at night, I’ve got insane energy levels. Blame it on caffeine or natural adrenaline, but I truly believe it’s in direct relation to my new sleeping habits. I assure you this small change is foolproof and will enhance your day-to-day life and way of living.
While initially waking up early may be straining on your sleep pattern, it ends up benefitting it. I used to be able to stay up super late, but now I’m fast asleep at a normal hour. This gives me more time to sleep! Better sleep may give you better concentration, improved moods, and can put you at lower risk of developing chronic diseases. On the flipside, poor sleep may lead to a weakened immune system, poor sex drive, and a higher chance of developing diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Going to sleep early has been something I’ve struggled with since quarantine, when we were in the house all day with nothing to do and tire us out. This has been the perfect chance to correct this issue.
make it Happen!
You may be thinking, “This all sounds amazing, but how can I successfully wake up early?” Here are some tips from a novice. Set an alarm noise that you don’t absolutely dread hearing. You can choose a song, or you can make your own from whatever sound you like on the GarageBand app on your phone. You should also set the alarm for around 15 minutes before you actually need to wake up — just enough time for you to snooze twice, but not enough to fall back into a deep sleep. Hear me out now: leave your window blinds up or open. It may be a shock at first, but your body will start to naturally wake up with the sun, it also makes the space less of a dungeon when you finally do roll out of bed. Lastly, having a breakfast plan in place with a clearly timed schedule will help you so much. Timing is everything. Having a quick and easy breakfast vibe will save you so much on the backend.
I know this sounds like an endorsement for joining the working class rat race, but I promise it’s not. If we’re being realistic, life can get hectic and sleep patterns may not always go as planned. But as long as you try your best, this habit will end up being your best friend.
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