When that dreaded time machine hits 7 a.m., blaring a series of bleeps and bangs, forcing us out of the safety and comfort of our warm beds into the polar caps of the morning, help is obviously needed. We trudge through the morning, attempting to find ways to stay focused, or more importantly, stay awake. We drink our Muddy Waters coffee to appease
the hungry monster that resides in our stomachs. We sketch overly detailed portraits of the classroom instead of taking notes. Brave souls zone out on their professor’s wacky hairstyle in an attempt to feign interest, all the while stifling a yawn that threatens to betray the fact that we are bored beyond relief. We might glare at the peppy mutant girl in our class, with her time-consuming make-up, leaving the rest of us looking like extras from The Walking Dead. Let’s face it: the average student is not built for 8 a.m. classes, yet they are painfully necessary for our survival in the academic setting.
Read on for tips and tricks on how to get your butt out of bed and prepare yourself for those dreadfully early classes.
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Turning Pillows
Sleep. The healthiest and most natural way to gain the energy needed to tackle these morning classes. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, there are many effects of bad sleeping habits. These consequences include but are not limited to poor academic performance and insomnia; plus “students who stay up late on school nights and make up for it by sleeping late on weekends are more likely to perform poorly in the classroom.” As young adults, our education is extremely important and crucial to the betterment of our society, but if we don’t even have the vital amount of energy to combat the issues of the world, we’re practically doomed from the start. So here’s a couple of helpful tactics to ensure that you’re getting the proper amount of sleep.
- Go to sleep earlier than normal.
Yes, those JennaMarbles YouTube videos are informative as well as hilarious, but seriously… get some sleep. Fear not! Her videos will still be there in the morning.
- Refrain from Caffeinated Drinks
We can all appreciate a good cup of coffee, and they are quite useful when cramming for a life-shattering test, but they inhibit your natural ability to heal yourself from the dangers of the elements.
- Get Out of the Sack!
The temptation to stay and sleep in, especially on the weekends, is immense and often challenging, but honestly, once you get out of bed and into the light (or in our case, rain) you’ll feel more energetic and ready to conquer the universe! Or maybe just start the essay you forgot to do…
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Let’s Get Physical
Exercise in the morning? Almost sounds worse than class in the morning, but it’s easier, and more fun. Early morning stretches are a great way to break the monotony of our everyday rituals. Also, it’s important to warm our muscles before doing anything, especially when rushing to classes, hiking hidden trails, or climbing to the BSS. Dr. Laura Inveranity, D.O., who is a former About.com Guide, gives three simple examples of easy early morning stretches.
- 1) Remain seated on the edge of your bed with your feet on the floor.
Rotate your neck in a circle, touching your ears to your shoulders.
Rotate slowly in a clockwise direction 5 times.
Rotate slowly in a counter clockwise direction 5 times.
- 2) Stand next to your bed.
Lace your fingers together.
Raise your hands above your head, palms upward.
Lift up stretching your rib cage.
Hold for a count of 10.
Repeat 5 more times
- 3) Remain standing next to your bed.
Bend over and touch your fingers to your toes while keeping your knees straight.
Hold for a count of 10.
Repeat 5 more times.
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Early Birds vs. Angry Birds
One of the most important procedures in the morning routine is getting dressed; unless you’re a “free spirited” type of gal, then by all means you go girl! But since we are living in a society that deems it inappropriate to don your birthday suit, especially at a public institution, let’s step out, clothed in our very best.
It’s easy for us to roll out of bed and throw on whatever looks clean enough to wear for class, but what separates the energetic Barbies from the exhausted zombies is not the genetic makeup of these persons but the time they spend getting ready for the day. Early morning dress-up will wake you by giving you almost the same energy that dressing up for a night on the town does, except you’re going to class.
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Plan ahead
Before going to bed, think about your outfit for the morning, and put it out to save yourself the pain of accidentally wearing different socks by trying to get dressed in the dark.
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Get creative
Try new styles! Fix your hair differently, jazz up your makeup, wear that crazy-cute dress that you’ve been saving for who knows how long. Either way, your energetic self will definitely shine through, even if the sun hasn’t fully come up yet.
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Party Music
Do you have a playlist that gets you hyped? You know, the one that you listen to before partying? Well, that music is extremely helpful in animating your mornings just before you head out to class. Just wear earphones so you don’t wake your roommates.
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Appease the Monster
There’s an insatiable creature living in college students far and wide. This hunger demon tempts and taunts us until we give in. When we don’t, it tortures us by making obscene noises at the most unacceptable times. It makes our already distressing morning classes almost unbearable with its complaints and mumblings, pleading to anyone within earshot to listen, to empathize, to feed it. We know this organism as our stomach.
Far too many students skip breakfast, which we all know is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast not only provides us with substantial energy, it also satisfies the unquenchable monster… at least until lunch. Here’s a recipe provided by Delish that is quick and easy to make before leaving for class.
Ingredients
¼ tablespoon(s) butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tomato, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 slice(s) rye bread, toasted
Directions
- Melt butter in a large frying pan. Pour in beaten eggs and scramble over medium heat, stirring with wooden spoon until eggs are cooked.
- Add tomatoes to the pan; cook, stirring 1 minute, until tomatoes are heated through and starting to soften. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately with 2 slices toasted rye bread.
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The Magic School Bus Room
Who said that Universities had to be all about reading and writing? What happened to the imaginative exercises in elementary school that broadened our thought process, colored our world, and gave us the chance to animate our own reality? And lastly, who said that doodling in class was childish and unsophisticated?
There is nothing wrong with doodling, especially when used to stay awake in class. Sunni Brown, leader of the Doodle Revolution, says that “sketching and doodling improve our comprehension—and our creative thinking.” For an institution whose job is to improve and develop minds and teach critical thinking, shouldn’t doodling be established, or even praised? Pairing doodles with the topics discussed in class is an excellent way to keep focused while improving the left brain. Let the random class drawings commence!
Question Everything
The last step in surviving your early morning classes is to pay attention. Examine everything that teachers give you by reading about the subjects, talking to other students about the information, and by actually talking to your professor. Speaking to the professor about what you don’t understand or even asking them to have a group exercise to get the class more active will not only keep you absorbed in the class but might help other students to wake up.
With these simple tricks, you’ll be free flying through the meandering monotony of morning classes by turning them into the stimulating sessions that they were meant to be, and be able to say: Bring It On!