Ask Ava...about mornings

By: Ava C. Green, Editor-in-Chief

Q: "What’s the least painful way to survive an 8 a.m. lecture when my soul physically rejects mornings?"

A: We’ve all seen those “Born to dilly-dally, forced to lock in,” type of memes, and all semester, I’ve been living in the “Born to sleep in, forced to be a morning person,” version of it. It’s been hard work to get myself to a point where I don’t feel an intense existential dread at the sound of my 6 a.m. alarm. All it takes is some discipline and the inclusion of a few steps in your routine that bring you joy as you trudge through your morning. 

Step one: Surrender to bedtime. I know going to bed early sounds like a myth, something only kindergarteners and responsible adults do. But if you're running on three hours of sleep, that 8 a.m. is going to hit like a freight train. Start tricking yourself into winding down earlier – dim the lights, put your phone out of reach, and maybe listen to some absurdly boring podcast about the history of paper clips. Eventually, your body will accept defeat and comply.

Step two: Bribe yourself. Waking up at an ungodly hour requires incentives – things that make the transition from unconsciousness to reality slightly less horrific. For me, it’s food. I rise from the depths of slumber knowing that a glorious cup of coffee and a lovingly prepared breakfast await me. Maybe your thing is a playlist of aggressively upbeat songs or a TikTok scroll session (set a timer, lest you accidentally wake up at 6 a.m. and still end up late). Whatever it is, make it worth getting up for.

Step three: Love your morning routine. I’m not saying you have to become a morning yoga-and-kale-smoothie person, but rushing out the door in a panic is never a great way to start your day. Give yourself time to do things at a pace that doesn't make you sweat. Personally, I treat my morning routine like a little pregame for the day — getting dressed, getting my lunch ready. I wake up way earlier than necessary but the luxury of spending my morning drinking coffee and cooking at my own speed is worth it. 

Step four: Rethink your daily schedule. If you’re not used to being up early, you might hit a midday energy crisis. Factor in a power nap or shift your study schedule so that your brain isn't expected to function at peak efficiency when it just wants to hibernate. Once I started using my mornings for things I actually enjoy, rather than just barely surviving them, I realized I had way more energy to get through the day. Weird how that works, huh?

At the end of the day (or the start of it I guess), mornings don’t have to feel like a personal attack. Sure, they’re never going to be as cozy as sleeping in, but with a little finesse, they can at least become tolerable. Maybe even enjoyable. And if all else fails, there’s always caffeine.