Freshman year was easy living. I went to bed late and woke up late. I was consistently tired, but from what? I would get out of bed at 10:15 AM for my 10:30 class. I thought I had it made! I thought this was college. But the bags under my eyes became an everyday thing and not just a finals week thing. I knew something needed to change when I noticed how much my face had aged in just two semesters of college. The best concealer Sephora had to offer was not helping me.

For my sophomore year, I had a new routine and a new attitude.

7:55 AM- Struggle to get out of bed, without hitting snooze. My first victory of the day!

8:00 AM- Start the Keurig and oatmeal. Caffeine is MAJOR KEY.

8:05 AM- Wash my face (Important!!! Shout out to you, Rodan+Fields!)

8:10 AM- My coffee and oats are finally at the right temperature. God Bless.

8:15 AM- Simultaneously check Instagram, Twitter, Email, Group Me and Snapchat.

8:35 AM- Go over the plan for the day. Class, class, class, practice, laundry, sorority meeting, study. This is my time to collect myself and find the hours for the exciting stuff, like Target, for example. Speaking of planning, this is the only planner you'll ever need.

8:45 AM- Optional time to brush hair? Always use dry shampoo, and BB cream is a definite.

9:00 AM- Out the door for my 9:15 class.

I noticed when I did my full routine, I was more prepared for class and took more notes. I was happier because I knew I would never be that girl who was always five minutes late. My GPA was better, my skin was better, and my general well-being was better. If you're still doing what I used to do, stop it right now! Seriously, morning routines set up your entire day. If you have a crappy start to the day, the rest of the day will be crappy. But if you have a good start, then the rest of the day will follow that trend!

I like having a routine because everything else... is so unpredictable.