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The Essential Guide to Surviving Early Morning Classes
Waking up early and going to your morning classes can be tougher than you think, especially if you’re not a morning person. If you’re a night owl or just like to stay up late with friends, then you might struggle waking up for your first morning class. And it’ll be worse trying to stay focused once you get there.
I recommend reading the 10 tips below if you’re a student who is struggling to concentrate or even stay awake early in the morning. Once you incorporate these tips into your lifestyle, you’ll be able to walk into your early morning classes feeling energized and ready to work.
1. Get Plenty of Sleep
Everyone needs their sleep in order to function at a high level everyday. Getting proper sleep each night can help with improving motivation, reducing stress, and boosting memory recall.
Going to bed at a decent time and getting a full night’s rest will allow your brain to perform well in class and keep your body feeling energized throughout the day. That’s why you should never underestimate how beneficial getting a good night’s sleep can be for your well-being.
2. Wear Comfy Clothes
There’s a reason why most college students prefer to wear comfy clothes to class. Instead of wearing some fancy, uncomfortable outfit, just throw on a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. This is an easy way to make getting ready for class every morning less of a hassle.
Not only will you save time getting ready each morning, but you’ll feel a lot more comfortable, too. There’s even been studies done that show students who wear more comfortable clothing do better on exams and have increased productivity. I can’t say wearing something comfy is going to help you ace your next big exam, but I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast
There’s nothing worse than going to class on an empty stomach, believe me, I’ve done it. You’ll end up feeling sluggish and way more tired if you don’t eat beforehand.
It’s very important to eat a healthy breakfast so you can get a jump start to your morning. The proper nutrients in the morning will help fuel your body and give you the energy you need to power through that first class.
Your ability to eat healthy is usually more limited if you live in a dorm, but there’s still many options available. I recommend going to the store and buying some healthy snack packs with nuts, cheese, and dried fruits.
They’re a quick and affordable option for getting some healthy food in your system. Protein bars, oatmeal, fruits, and yogurt are solid breakfast items, as well. If you’re on a meal plan, try to hurry over to your dining hall and grab something healthy, like fruit, a granola bar, or a breakfast sandwich, depending on what they have.
I also recommend checking out RealEats. They have loads of healthy meal options for breakfast and dinner, such as Korean BBQ steak, garlic lime shrimp, and baked blueberry oatmeal. The meals can get delivered to you every week; all you have to do is pop them in the microwave to have your chef-prepared foods ready to eat.
4. Try Drinking Coffee
Even if you’re not a frequent coffee drinker, a coffee maker is still a smart item to buy when you’re in college. I wouldn’t drink a bunch of coffee all day because it might keep you up at night. But a cup or two in the morning will definitely give you a boost of energy and get rid of that morning grogginess. You can also be generous, and share it with your other roommates.
5. Listen to Music
Get yourself feeling motivated by playing some music when you get up and walk around campus. An early morning jam session will definitely help wake you up and get you ready for class.
If you have a bluetooth speaker, you can listen to music while you’re getting ready in your room. Or you can put in your earbuds and play music on your way to class. I recommend playing some upbeat songs that won’t put you back to sleep.
6. Set Multiple Alarms
It’s going to be a little difficult to be in class if you’re still sleeping in bed. This tip is for those deep sleepers or people who like to hit the snooze button and fall back asleep.
Sometimes one alarm just isn’t enough, especially if you were up late. Your roommate might get a little annoyed hearing a bunch of alarms going off every few minutes, but it’s necessary if you struggle to wake up in the morning.
7. Don't Party the Night Before
It can be really tempting to see all your friends heading to a party somewhere on or off campus, but if you have classes the next day, especially early in the morning, I don’t recommend going to it.
If you do end up going, there’s a good chance you won’t get back to your dorm till really late, which will likely cause you to sleep through your alarms and miss your morning classes.
The last thing you want to do is crawl out of bed with a killer hangover and try to walk to class. And once you get there, good luck trying to stay awake, let alone pay attention.
8. Stick to a Daily Routine
Humans are creatures of habit and routine. When people have a good routine to follow everyday, it usually leads to success. There’s nothing wrong with breaking that routine once in awhile and being spontaneous, but in college, it’s good to stick to a solid routine during the week.
The key to having a good routine is doing what works best for you. As you progress through college, that’s something you’ll have to figure out for yourself.
However, it’s best to have healthy habits in your routine such as going to bed at a decent time, eating healthy, and exercising. Additionally, getting up early and being productive in the morning is a great way to start off your routine and set the tone for the rest of the day.
9. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated everyday comes with loads of benefits, such as increased energy levels, improved mental performance, healthier skin, and more. Drinking a sufficient amount of water throughout the day will give you more energy when you wake up in the morning. Additionally, it can help you function better in your classes and relieve soreness in your joints and bones.
10. Exercise
Another way to boost your energy levels in the morning is by exercising frequently. Just like staying hydrated, exercising comes with tons of health benefits and is one of the best ways to improve your mental health.
Exercising improves how your brain functions, reduces anxiety, and reduces the risk of depression. It even helps you sleep better at night, which is super important in college.
