//Wake Up An Hour Before You Have To Leave
I had to leave home at different times depending on my first class, but I always made sure to set my alarm an hour before I had to leave. I tend to lay in bed for ten minutes after and stretch, but I always get out of bed when I have something to do.
I enjoy having a slow paced morning. It’s so relaxing. Usually, in the mornings, my mom and brothers are gone and my dad is still asleep, so I have to whole house to myself. I don’t enjoy feeling rushed in the mornings. That usually leads to a very bad day, so I make sure I have time to get ready, make and eat breakfast, and relax on the couch before heading to campus.
//Not Snoozing Your Alarm
I never snooze the alarm when school is in session, but it’s a bad habit I do during the summer. Whenever I snooze the alarm, I end up going back to sleep again, so I keep my alarm clock across my room.
(In the summertime, I turn off my alarm and get back in bed again, so I’ve been keeping more alarms on my phone to coax me into getting up. Nobody’s perfect. Having a consistent schedule helps during the school year, but that’s not the case during a break.)
//Drink Water First Thing
I always keep a tall glass of water on the bookshelf next to my bed. I drink it first thing in the morning (Or sip at it in the middle of the night when I’m thirsty). I started doing this in high school, and now I crave water once I wake up. I don’t drink coffee in the mornings and drink tea when I don’t sleep enough, so water is my drink of choice in the morning (smoothies too, recently). You’re bound to be dehydrated after sleeping for eight hours and a glass of water will wake you up.
//Brush And Floss Your Teeth
I brush and floss my teeth every day. I didn’t use to floss, but every single filling for a cavity I’ve had has been in between my teeth. There’s a reason for that. No matter how well you brush, there’s still going to be something left.
I always brush before I eat breakfast because I can’t stand that mucus in my mouth in the mornings. You know the thing that gives you morning breath? Yeah, that. I know some people brush after they eat, but I feel like that convinces you to not brush sometimes because your morning breath is gone. I remember one of my friends told me she doesn’t brush in the morning because of that, which seems ridiculous to me, so you should remember to brush.
(That was a long paragraph for a short point)
//Create A Morning Routine
Always know what you are going to do next. I always get completely ready before I eat because I don’t have much of an appetite in the morning. I know some people eat breakfast in their pajamas and get ready later, but I can’t do that. Follow your body’s rhythm. I like getting put together as soon as possible because it wakes me up, but that might not work for others. My morning routine sort of happened on its own just by following my natural rhythm. You don’t need to be intentional about it, but make sure you have one.
Related – My College Morning Routine
//Move Your Body
For some people, it’s yoga or exercise. For me, it’s the act of getting ready. I do exercise, but it’s usually when I’m on campus in between classes. Once I wake up, I go to the bathroom, wash my face, and brush my teeth. Then, I go to my room and get ready for the day. After that, make breakfast before sitting on the couch to eat. Doing all that first thing in the morning gets my blood flowing, which helps me wake up.
//Make Your Bed
I make my bed every morning. Sure, there are some days I skip it, but for the most part, it’s an everyday occurrence. I do this because it’s a visual reminder that sleep time is over and it’s time to get up. If my blanket is down and my pillows are still in place, I want to go back to bed, but once it’s made, I can go on with my day. (The movement also helps wake me up)
//Open Your Curtains
I don’t do this during the winter because it’s still dark outside, but I always do it in the spring and summer. I have blinds, so when I open my curtains, some sunlight can still get in. I always open my windows when the sun is out because I love natural light. Opening the curtains in the mornings wakes me up because it brings a lot of light into my room (without having to show my unmade bed and me in PJs to the outside world.)
//Have Some Quiet Time
In college, you are constantly surrounded by people and noise. There are not many moments you can escape it. Since I commute, I like spending my quiet time at home before I head out. In high school, when I woke up at the same time as my mom and brothers, my quiet time was my drive to school. I personally need some time to ease into the day, so having some time alone is very beneficial for me in the mornings.
//Eat A Healthy Breakfast
I cannot stress this enough. I wish I had started doing this years ago. At the beginning of my freshman year, I would make waffles every day because it was convenient. There was a waffle iron in the kitchen and my mom left batter for me in the fridge. It was fast and easy.
Sometime in early February, I got the results back from my annual check-up and the doctor said I had high cholesterol. (I’m at risk for high cholesterol because of family history. My dad’s a vegetarian and he’s still near the borderline, so it wasn’t surprising) I was only one point above the level I was supposed to be at for my age and the doctor wanted to check again in three months.
I’m a pretty healthy person. I exercise and eat fruits and vegetables, so the only thing I really changed in my diet was breakfasts. I suspect the extra few points on my cholesterol was from eating out significantly more in college, but I didn’t change that part of my diet too much. I just made a few healthier choices there, but my breakfasts were my biggest change. Instead of waffles, I’d have a smoothie, a banana, and bread with almond butter. That’s what I ate every day. (I’m not a fan of eggs)
When I had my blood tested again, my cholesterol level went from 71 to 59. That’s really good by the way. I give credit to changing my breakfast for that drastic number change.
//Read
I always listen to an audiobook on my drive to the train station and read a book on the train. That’s the best morning habit I’ve started in college. I love to read, so having a designated time for that in college has been wonderful.
Related – 16 WaysTo Make The Most Of Your College Commute
//Meet Up With A Friend
In high school, I always took advantage of the thirty minutes before class started to hang out with my friends. It was a nice way to start the day. Every Monday morning, before my first class last semester, I’d spend time with one of my best friends and hang out for an hour. It made Mondays more exciting. If you have a meal plan, make plans to eat at the dining hall with someone. Make it a weekly or daily thing you do.
//Do Something Productive Before Your First Class
Get a homework assignment done or make flash cards for an upcoming test. I always made sure to get to campus early so that I’d have time to do something productive in the morning. I also didn’t have to stress about being late to class because I was already on campus. Being productive doesn’t necessarily mean school. Sometimes, it can mean outlining a blog post or going to the gym. I didn’t always do the same thing every day, but mornings are when I’m most focused. I try to take advantage of that and you should too.
http://makingmyway.co/13-college-morning-habits/
