Being in Army ROTC, I am required to be up at around 5 a.m. at least three times a week, sometimes more. On days I'm not required to be up I still wake up early to work out. There have been times when I've woken up early every day of the week, including weekends. Though we usually get home at 7 most mornings, I've learned to never take classes before 10. Here are my reasons why.

One of the biggest reasons I take later classes is because it allows me to do what I need to do before class. For example, during my first semester, I took a class at 9 which I ended up skipping most days because I never was ready in time. I always made it a priority to eat after working out, as well as shower, and on days that I wear my uniform, it takes me close to 30 minutes to get ready. I always found myself rushing to class on days that I did go, especially taking transit to campus alone takes 15 minutes. I always found there was never enough time in the mornings to properly care for myself if I have any class before 10.

Another reason I take 10 a.m. classes is that it allows me time to study or finish any needed work. I try my hardest to stick to a sleep schedule since I do often get up early and sometimes, between extracurricular activities and work, I'm not always able to finish assignments or homework. I use any extra time in the mornings to do what I need to do or even get a head start on my work for the day or studying for a test I know is coming up. I find that once I'm up, I'm up for the day and I'd rather use my time doing something productive and not rushing through everything I may not have time to thoroughly complete the night before.

The last reason I think it's important to not take classes too early in the morning is that I have time to relax and feel more motivated for the day. It may not seem like much, but two and a half hours in the morning to take proper care of myself and allow me to relax motivates me more than getting up and being on my grind instantly. Most of my days are packed until the moment I go to sleep, so I find that taking the time in the mornings to relax, calm my mind, and get my mind ready for the day has made an extremely positive impact on my motivation throughout the day and my stress levels.