
The Ultimate 8am Survival Guide
You know that feeling you get when your alarm goes off? When your body says, “NOPE,” and rolls over?
If you don’t know that feeling, then you sure are blessed! But for those of you that greet that feeling each morning with groggy eyes and perplexed frowns, this piece is for you.
If you dread the sound of your alarm clock on a Monday, pull out your notes. Here’s the 8 a.m. survival guide.
1.) Know your limits.
What I mean is, know how long it takes you to get from your room to the classroom at a brisk pace. Know how long it takes you to get ready. Know everything! Once you know your limits, add a few minutes to your morning routine as a buffer zone.
2.) Get your things ready the night before.
Set out your outfit so you can jump into it as soon as you wake up. Pack your books and have your bag ready to go. And most importantly, have your ID card ready to go with you!
If I had a dollar for every time I didn’t have these things ready (especially my ID card), I would have enough money to buy Common Grounds coffee for a month.
3.) Set multiple alarms.
I’ve set multiple alarms before because I really don’t trust my sleepy self! Hearing my shrilling alarm multiple times in the morning has conditioned me into waking up.
Remember, this one is only if you don’t trust yourself. Make sure you talk to your roommates about this beforehand so they aren’t taken by surprise!
4.) Change up your alarm sound.
My current alarm is just obnoxious beeping. Although I despise the sound of it, I’ve also grown too used to it. I have to switch things up so I don’t tune it out on my tired mornings.
For this tip, I recommend swapping out your obnoxious alarm everyone once in a while. Choose a tone that you know will wake you up. And try changing it every few weeks too. That way your mind won’t know what to expect in the mornings!
5.) Don’t sleep next to your phone.
Late nights may be the prime time for dog memes, Facebook debates, and conversations with your boyfriend, but all those things can keep you up until early in the morning! By setting your phone down on your desk or somewhere not near your bed, you’re able to focus more on getting that glorious treasure known as sleep.
Also, if you use your phone as your alarm, having it away from your bed causes you to actually get up in the morning to turn off your alarm! I hate getting up in the morning, but I hate the sound of my alarm even more!
6.) Get things done early.
If you’re a sleepyhead like I am, then you don’t have time to work on last-minute projects due at 8 a.m. This means you’ll have to do things for that class earlier. For me, I try to have things done the night before. That way, I can get up and go to class rather than worry about making extra time in my busy mornings for last-minute rushes.
7.) Get the necessities first, accessories later.
This is probably one of the biggest hacks I’ve learned. I can wake up at a certain time, do the important stuff like brush my teeth, and get going. Then I can do all the other things after my 8 a.m. class, such as room jobs, getting ready, and devotions!
Disclaimer: This tip works best if you have the 9 a.m. hour free.
Voila! Now you can wake up at 7:45 and still make it to your seat in class with seconds to spare!
Okay, maybe don’t try that. But at least you can score a few extra minutes of sleep while still being able to make it to class.
If you have any other tips on how to survive that dreaded first class hour (besides waking up super early), share them with me in the comments below!
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