College on its own is stressful enough, with classes, exams, extracurricular activities, even finding time to spend with friends. It feels like there is only so much time in the day and only so much room to get done everything we need to accomplish. Having a stress free and relaxed morning is vital, and will only make the rest of our days better and more productive.

1. Try to schedule out your day ahead of time

Of course, this may not be realistic because things can come up at any point, but by somewhat generally planning our days out will have us waking up feeling like we have a schedule for the day. Starting your day with no plan could result in a more rushed and stressful morning when you know you have plenty to do for the day but have no idea when you're actually going to do it. Having a slight idea for your day allows you to feel like you have plans to get everything done, and will keep you from feeling stressed about it so early in the morning.

2. Pack everything you need the night before

This in a way goes with planning out your day. If you have everything you need ready to go the night before, you won't have to worry about rushing in the morning to get it all together. This also takes away the chance of you accidentally forgetting something because you have the opportunity to double check, instead of getting everything together last minute.

3. Straighten up your room before bed

Now, this obviously does not mean to deep clean every inch of your room every night. This simply just means putting away clothes that are laying around, throwing away pieces of trash that could be sitting out, and putting all your shoes back in your closet. Taking five minutes before bed to tidy up will make your environment cleaner and therefore will result in fewer things you have to worry about in the morning.

4. Stay off of technology at least half an hour before bed, and try to get at least eight hours of sleep

Rest is one of the most important things for our bodies and is vital in making sure we can wake up and be productive. Technology does not allow our brain to relax and results in us getting less restful sleep. Staying off of technology for a period of time before bed every night will allow our brains to begin shutting down and will allow us to rest more peacefully. Along with having deeper sleep, we also need to make sure we are getting enough sleep. While college is busy and we may find ourselves staying up late to finish a paper or study for an exam, we cannot truly work to the best of our abilities unless we are well rested. Getting enough sleep every night will make us feel more energized in the morning and have a more productive rest of the day.

5. Drink water first thing in the morning

Staying hydrated is just as important as getting enough sleep. It is also important to hydrate at certain times of the day. Right in the morning is one of those times. When you wake up after an eight hour period of sleep, your body is definitely dehydrated. Also, with being in college, we all know coffee is a popular morning beverage to feel more awake. While we can still have our cup of coffee in the morning, it is better for our bodies and minds to drink water even before we have coffee. Having a nice glass of water right after you wake up will help you feel refreshed, make you feel more awake, and therefore result in a less stressful morning.

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Overall, having a good day starts with having a good morning. Take these simple steps in bettering your lifestyle and making your mornings easier and stress-free. This will only make the already stressful environment of college that much better.