College students on the whole are known for crazy sleep habits. I am no exception. This week I decided to try waking up early. I woke up between 4 and 5 a.m. every day this week. Here's a few of the perks I've experienced.
1. Mental clarity in morning classes.
Waking up at 4 and working on homework until my morning classes allows my foggy brain to clear before my 9 A.M. classes. I am able to articulate with greater ease and coherence.
2. Relationships with the cleaning crew.
First of all, I didn't even know there was a cleaning crew. It makes me feel good that in each building on campus, there are people actively working to prevent me from getting sick. Also, it might not seem like much, but a bright smile and early morning greeting from another early riser is a really nice thing.
3. Peace and quiet.
Universities are hubs of information, with people constantly talking and moving about. In the morning, only a couple brave souls venture out to embrace the pre-dawn air. Since peace and quiet are such rare commodities, I've found it a nice change of pace.
4. A feeling of accomplishment by noon.
When you've been up for eight hours and it's only noon, there's a psychological edge to be gained. The day's only half over, but you've already put in a full day's worth of work. Some might consider this a negative by-product of waking up early, but I have enjoyed the productive feeling.
Maybe waking up early isn't for you. That's fine. But as someone who has tried it for a week, it's not a bad life, as long as you don't stay up very late. Four a.m. may be a little extreme, but I plan to continue waking up early a while longer.