Ahhh. The dreaded 8:30am. I have been waiting to write this blog post to see what the first week of school was like–having to wake up for my early Macroeconomics class–to give all of you the best tips I can think of!

Some of you may be like me…I like having early classes. I am able to get them out of the way and work on homework by 10:30. Or…you may be like my roommate who has no class Monday and Friday and starts after 3pm the rest of the week. To each their own, you should do whatever will make you enjoy your college experience. For those of you who are like me, I want to give you five of my biggest tips for making it through your early morning classes.

Tip 1: Go to bed by 11pm.

I know this is a challenging thing for all of us college kids to do just because of life and homework, but I have found that it makes it a lot easier to wake up and get ready for your 8:30 if you got enough sleep the night before.

Tip 2: Have a routine.

Having a routine is important no matter what but especially if you have an early and busy day ahead of you. Here is what my classic routine looks like prior to my morning classes:

• Pack my backpack and lay out my clothes the night before so I’m not stressing in the morning
• Get to bed at a decent time
• Wake up an hour before I need to leave and immediately make my bed
• Get dressed, brush my teeth, do my makeup, etc.
• Make coffee ten minutes before I need to leave

It doesn’t matter what your morning looks like, but doing things consistently every day will help you a lot. I also recommend waking up at least an hour before you need to walk to class because you will be energized and ready to learn by the time you start!

Tip 3: Positive Attitude.

You most likely chose your morning classes for a reason. Yes, I know, you get tired of having to wake up early while all of your friends are sleeping in. But, if you don’t have a positive attitude you will never get through them. What helps me is thinking about how accomplished I will be by noon every day!

Tip 4: Understand what your week looks like.

It is so important to be organized…in my opinion, it’s how you get through anything in life. Knowing what your week looks like with classes, homework, social life, clubs, etc. will help you get through all of your classes. Plan out your week in advance and write a to-do list for every day so then you know exactly what needs to be done.

Tip 5: Think wisely.

Going out and being with your friends is so much fun…but going to bed at 3am and waking up at 7am is not. That’s why it is so important to really understand how you want your week to be. You need to plan your social life accordingly. If you have an 8am on Wednesday, don’t be out with your girlfriends all night on Tuesday…it’ll just make those early morning classes unbearable.

Alright, everybody! I hope these tips have helped you! But, I really do want to stress that you need to do whatever works for you. Early classes may not be your thing, but they are mine, so hopefully, these tips gave you a little motivation to get through them! Also…don’t beat yourself up if you are struggling to get up early while also trying to be a good student and staying up half the night doing your homework. A lot of us haven’t been to an in-person class the last couple of years and it takes a little more effort than just rolling out of bed :) Just remember…you’re doing great!

Thank you all so much for reading!

<3 Heather