3 Hacks on Surviving 9 am Classes

It’s no surprise that 9:00 am classes are my least favourite. The commute is slower, the weather is gloomy and cold, and everyone is drained of energy. To make matters worse, my commute to campus is around an hour and a half, so I wake up at 6:30 am for my 9:00 am classes… which is not exactly enjoyable. Unfortunately, sometimes 9:00 am classes are inevitable because it could be the only time that classes run for a particular course, so I’ve gathered a few hacks on how I survive these 9:00 am classes.   Prepare the day before: Waking up early means that I’m super tired in the morning, so I don’t want to be doing a bunch of things like packing my bag, making lunch, etc… To make these early mornings easier for me, I prepare everything I need for school the day before. This includes making my lunch, printing my notes, and packing my bag. Not only does this make my life easier, it also makes my morning routine quicker, which means that I can wake up a little bit later and squeeze in that extra 10 minutes of sleep (yes, it makes a huge difference). I also tend to skip breakfast so I can sleep in a little longer as well (my mom isn’t crazy about this). Instead, I just buy a quick snack and a cup of coffee once I get to campus to fuel my day!

Sleep: It’s absolutely necessary for me to go to sleep early the day before my 9:00 am class. This can be hard to do sometimes because as a student, I’m used to staying up late to study. But the night before my 9:00 am class, I usually just review my lecture notes really quickly, and then head to bed at 10:30… whatever work I need to get done, can wait until the next day because I simply cannot focus in class if I don’t get enough sleep. Taking power naps throughout the day can also be helpful. I find that taking naps during my commute on the GO train is a nice way to make up for lost sleep. I’ve also seen some students take naps in the library… that’s also an option.   Changing my attitude: The most important hack for me is to change my attitude! I like to trick myself into thinking that I actually like to wake up early. I tell myself that I have more time in the day to use, and that I’m more productive in the mornings. If I feel like I would rather be doing anything than attending my 9:00 am class, this negative attitude usually translates to the rest of my day. I find that developing a positive attitude really motivates me and helps me feel happier as a whole!   As classes begin again after reading week, it can be hard to get back into the rhythm of waking up early for classes. I hope everyone is able to get enough rest! 🙂