Waking up early is something almost every college student loathes. Many of us, myself included, have gotten into the habit of rolling out of bed 10 minutes before our first class and just barely making it to our seat as attendance is being taken.
Either that or you skip all your classes and call it a “self-care day.”
Last semester I used that excuse almost every day. This semester, I’ll admit I’ve already taken one “self-care day,” but I made the decision over Christmas break that I would try to wake up early every weekday, even if my first class wasn’t until the afternoon.
I watched a YouTuber by the name of Elliot Choy who posts videos on how and why he wakes up early. It motivated me, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
At first, setting my alarm for 6:30 a.m. when I didn’t have class until 9:00 a.m. was the worst thing ever. But as I kept waking up earlier, I realized it gave me time to prepare in the morning before heading out to take on my day. I had time to actually make my bed for once, start a little school work that was due that night, make myself look at least somewhat presentable for class and get to where I needed to be without feeling rushed.
Now, I can’t say that I’ve been strict about sticking to this routine of waking up early because there are some mornings when I hit snooze for an hour. But I can say this: When I return to my dorm room in the evening, I look back on what I did throughout the day and feel like I’ve accomplished a lot more. And surprisingly, I don’t feel as tired compared to when I wake up with no time to prepare for my day.
My roommate has also been getting into the habit of waking up earlier. I asked her how she feels being an early riser has benefitted her, and she said, “I find myself not as tired throughout the day, especially if I take a shower first thing in the morning. It really wakes me up. I feel like I get more schoolwork done. It’s just so refreshing to not be rushed and to be able to think about my day ahead. But back to that shower though. That really does it for you.”
I’m sure there are some of you out there that are naturally early risers, and I applaud you for that.
Although not everyone is a morning person, the benefits of waking up early and being able to take your time before starting your day will really make a positive difference in how you feel. If you’re reading this, I challenge you to try setting earlier alarms for a week and take note of how you feel and what you accomplish. You’d be surprised to see the results.