Although I consider myself a morning person, I am a strong advocate for 8am lectures being cancelled indefinitely. Getting ready and aiming to leave home during a time frame where my 20-minute commute can potentially become a 45-minute traffic-stricken mess is stressful. I imagine that living in residence or just living closer to campus in general makes it easier, but not everyone can be so lucky. Here are some tips to help you cope and prepare for 8am Lectures.
1. Have a Morning Routine
When you’re in a rush, simple tasks can seem overwhelming. Knowing that you only have 15 minutes to get ready doesn’t always have the power to stop you from sitting on your bed in a daze, debating on whether you should eat breakfast or shower. Getting up with a plan in mind will make things run much more smoothly, helping you get ready efficiently – even when you’re half asleep.
2. Be realistic about how much time you have
Don’t kid yourself by hitting snooze and convincing yourself that you only need 5 minutes to get ready. It’s all fun and games until you’ve spilled coffee on yourself at 7:45 and it takes you 20 minutes to get to Upper Campus. Give yourself some wiggle room so that you don’t have to rush.
3. Get some fuel in your system
Eat breakfast. Honestly, I’m a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to this tip. I’m often in such a rush that I skip breakfast altogether, and 5 minutes into my lecture I’m seriously regretting it. I’ve found it helpful to toss a few breakfast bars and bottle of water into my bag, or have some cash on hand so that I can stop to buy coffee on the way to class. It’s a practice that I didn’t realise made a difference until I started doing it.
4. Know your travel schedule
Familiarise yourself with your travel route and transport schedules. How long does it take you to get to campus in peak hour traffic? What time is the Sandown Jammie? How long does it take the Sandown Jammie to get to campus in peak hour traffic? Get to know the answers to these questions. This will not only help you calculate what time you should leave home by, but also help you devise a Plan B to ensure you get to Campus in the case of an unplanned delay.
5. Do as much as possible the night before
Prepare yourself for the following morning. Plan your outfit the night before, pack your bag, charge your cell phone. It’s so easy to tell yourself, “I’ll do it tomorrow morning,” the night before, but let’s be honest – you either won’t have time to do it, or you’ll have to get up extra early.
And finally, go to your lecture – you didn’t wake up super early for nothing.