When you’re in college, some things are a given. Ramen noodles and late-night pizza are almost always on the menu. Cram sessions and all-nighters are a necessary part of exam week. You’ll suffer through dorm life your freshman year and praise the day you move into your first apartment. And of course, there’s sleeping in late.
Late nights inevitably lead to late mornings, no matter how much of a morning person you wish you could be. On weekends? No harm done. However, during the week, these “late-night habits” may take their toll when morning rolls around. Arriving late to class, feeling groggy all afternoon, and losing valuable time in your day are just a few of the many downfalls to sleeping in late. For us busy college students, these are setbacks that we just can’t afford.
Luckily, the solution may be easier than you think. Here are 5 simple tricks to help you night-owls ditch the old habits and start the day, well, at the start of the day!
Decide to get up early before you go to sleep
The morning is one of the worst times to make decisions. You’ve just been assaulted by your alarm clock, you’re groggy and half-asleep, and all you want to do is close your eyes and go back to dreaming. This is not the time to decide to be an early riser. Instead, make a conscious choice the night before about what time you’re going to wake up. That way, when morning finally comes, you only have to follow through!
Don’t use an alarm that makes you angry
Who wants to wake up to nails on a chalkboard? That’s essentially what many people resort to in order to kick start their day, but instead of waking us up it only irritates us. And what does an irritated non-morning person do? That’s right, they hit the snooze button. Instead, try setting your alarm to your favorite music or a not-so-harsh tone. It’s just as effective and will aggravate you less. That way, when you do manage to roll out of bed, it’s with a fresh start!
Set your alarm across the room, next to a full glass of water
These tricks kick start your body into waking up. By setting your alarm across the room, it forces you to get out of bed to turn it off. Yay, one step down! Now that you’re already there, drink the glass of water. Not only does your body become dehydrated during the night, but drinking water helps it realize that it’s time to wake up.
Go to sleep earlier
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but many people take the “8 hours of sleep per night” to be a suggestion rather than a requirement. Even if 8 hours is unattainable, the more sleep you get the easier waking will be. If you’ve set your alarm for 7 a.m., you’ll need to go to bed before 4 a.m. in order to successfully meet that goal.
Have a plan for your extra time
So you’ve successfully made it out of bed, and it’s still morning! Now what? If you don’t have a plan for all this extra time, you might be tempted to climb back into bed. To prevent yourself from giving in to such temptations, try making a to-do list of all the things you want to accomplish with your morning. Homework to be done? Room to be cleaned? The possibilities are endless.
Sources:
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/02/10-tricks-to-ge/
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCgQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lifehack.org%2Farticles%2Flifehack%2Ftips-for-becoming-an-early-riser.html&ei=ZlhnT5vwFeP_sQK6u822Dw&usg=AFQjCNHa3vZjt6jwGpvYJZONnH_5auvp-Q&sig2=CNhh7VA6AJrcVUTPU8YTDA