Let's face it. We’ve all been victims of the random Netflix nights at our Big’s apartment, which leads to binge watching Grey’s Anatomy until 3 a.m. with a bottle of Barefoot wine, or the Friday morning struggle after a Thursday night out at your favorite fraternity house. And what does that look the like the next morning? For me, its rushing into my dorm room at 8:45 a.m. to throw on the first pair of leggings and oversized t-shirt I see, brushing my teeth while packing up my books and not even thinking about brushing my hair. All of this is done in hopes that I make it to my front row seat for my 9 a.m. class.
If you’re anything like me, you're not just enrolled in a university to earn a degree and a 4.0 GPA. You're in college to make the absolute most out of the four great years you have. Four years isn’t a lot of time, so that makes for a lot of busy days filled with study sessions, sorority meetings, philanthropy events and student government campaigning. And let's not forget to hit the gym every once in a while.
I found that the key to being successful in college is to start your day off right. Here is how I make it through all the long days of studying, meetings and making time to have a social life:
1. Set an alarm for AT LEAST an hour before you have to be somewhere.
I found that the biggest key to success with morning routines is time. Even if you don’t enjoy listening to the sound of birds chirping in the morning or watching the sunrise, give yourself the time you need to prepare yourself for your busy day. Waking up early in college is not easy, especially since midnight is the new 9 p.m., but trust me, it will be worth it.
2. Exercise & drink a glass of water with lemon.
Alright y’all, I’m sure the word “exercise” is the last word you want to hear after waking up earlier than usual. But tell me this, how do the words “beach body” sound to you? There are so many amazing benefits to exercising your body first thing in the morning. It is the number one way you can jump-start your metabolism and keep it elevated throughout your day. That means your body will be burning more calories than it usually does as you go about your day! And lets face it, with all of our study groups and meetings we go to, when will we actually have time to exercise in the evenings?
Make sure to pair your workout with a nice glass of water with lemon. Why? Because hydrated skin is happy skin (so don’t forget drink 8 glasses per day). Water with lemon cleanses your body, clears your skin and also gets your metabolism off to a good start. Ladies, spring break is right around the corner, you’ve got this!
3. Take a bubble bath, drink a morning beverage, and relax.
My favorite part of the morning routine is enjoying a nice bubble bath and morning beverage. I suggest having a warm green tea with lemon or honey, which is also an aid in boosting your metabolism. But there is also nothing wrong with splurging on a vanilla latte every once in a while. I soak in Stress Relief bubble bath from Bath and Body Works for about a half hour. During this time, I usually scroll through my Washington Post app on my phone to update myself on current events.
4. And finally, reflect and plan out your day.
I use this time to do my daily devotional or bible study for the day and jot down my to-do list and meal plans in my agenda. This your “you time” or meditation time that you need to give yourself each day to get in touch with your faith and focus on your priorities.
