As we sadly had to say goodbye to the days of staying in pajamas all day, there are some things that we forgot existed as part of our everyday lives. Getting back into a daily routine is probably one of the hardest things (besides waking up in the mornings) we as students have to do, especially after winter break. Here are some things you can do to help you get back into the swing of things!
1. Sleep.
This one is obvious. Maybe going to bed earlier won't exactly make you a morning person, but your body will definitely feel better and you won't be as prone to illness. One thing I like to do is when I know I have less than an hour of homework left and it's getting late, I take a quick break to put on my pajamas, brush my teeth, and wash my face so that when I finish, I can go straight to bed. There is nothing worse than falling asleep while doing homework and realizing you haven't even changed out of your clothes from the day.
2. Set your alarm.
Take some time to go through the different sounds on your phone that you can set to wake you up in the morning (try to find one that is a soft, yet urgent sound). Don't just settle for the "alarm" sound, which usually makes me wake up automatically angry and annoyed. I recommend 'Chimes,' 'Ripples,' 'Silk,' 'Slow Rise,' 'Uplift,' or 'Twinkle.'
3. Wake up when your alarm goes off.
The worst thing you can do to yourself in the morning is snoozing your alarm and going back to sleep. In the morning, even as little as five more minutes of sleep sounds so appealing, but you're better off just waking up and staying in bed for a few more minutes instead of going back to sleep. Technically, scrolling through social media right when you wake up is not the best thing in the world, but let's face it, we all do it. When you wake up from your alarm, try to sit up a little bit and look through your phone. Checking your email, texts, and looking through the morning news can be enough to prepare yourself for the day ahead.
4. Drink water.
One thing I try to do when I first wake up is drink water. I always have a cup or a bottle of water next to my bed in case I get thirsty in the middle of the night, so I drink whatever is left over in the morning. There are many benefits to drinking water first thing in the morning including: better skin, boost metabolism, and renew cells. In addition to these health benefits, it wakes you up.
5. Look forward to the little things.
While going back to school and being with your friends is exciting, no one wants to go back to class. In order to get yourself through the day, look forward to things like making your morning coffee or grabbing lunch with a friend you haven't seen since before Christmas. Even something as simple as knowing you're going out with your friends for the first time in 2016 is enough to get you through the dreaded two and a half hour lecture.
There are plus sides to getting back into a daily routine: you feel more productive and when you finally get some free time to binge-watch your favorite show, you feel like it's well-deserved. I hope everyone has a fun and successful semester!
