Feeling burnt out? Here’s how to successfully survive a 9am lecture as a Liverpool student

We can all agree that lectures starting at the crack of dawn (9am for us students) should not exist. However, if you’re like me and have realised just how much you’re paying for university, skipping them probably isn’t the smartest move. At roughly £50 per lecture a year, you can easily rack up a huge mental loss when you decide to skip every early morning lesson on a Thursday after social night.

It’s not easy attempting to get back onto your academic arc, but it isn’t half rewarding when you manage to put in every attendance code for the week and actually feel like you’ve learnt something. So, here’s your ultimate guide to help you master the art of making it to your dreaded 9am lectures in style, and maybe even securing that title of academic weapon.

Get a good night’s sleep – or at least try

Is getting a full night’s sleep at uni even possible? Probably not. But you can at least try. I would maybe avoid Hatch Wednesdays the night before a 9am, but let’s be honest, we’ve all been there (and missed the lecture the next morning too). Aim for at least six hours of sleep, and if your flatmates are as loud as mine, invest in some good earplugs. This step is arguably the most difficult because, let’s face it, most of us have the worst sleeping schedules known to man. 

They were right when they said getting a decent amount of sleep helps you concentrate better. Unfortunately substituting shut eye for an iced latte from 92 Degrees won’t quite get you there, so try and work a good sleep routine into your schedule where you can.

Set roughly 100 alarms in the morning

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The internal battle I have with myself every morning is not helped by the constant buzzing in my ear, but setting multiple alarms does eventually irritate me enough to get out of bed. For this step to work, you have to ignore that little voice in your head telling you that it’s fine to miss another lecture and you can just ‘catch up later’. Spoiler alert, you never do.

Even if this means setting your 7am alarm whilst you’re still at the pub, because you’ll inevitably crash out as soon as you get home. If you can conjure up the strength to drag yourself out of your comfy warm bed, then boom – you’re ready to take on the world. The world being a singular one hour lecture, but still.

Choose a cute outfit

Now that you’re finally out of bed, let’s get out of that bad mood after pressing snooze on ten different alarms. The usual uni attire of joggers and a hoodie will only remind you of how comfy bed was, so switch it up! Put on some jeans, a cute top, or anything that makes you feel good. Looking good on the outside will help you feel good on the inside, believe us. Bonus points if you choose your outfit the night before, you’ve just given yourself an extra ten minutes of sleep.

Get the tunes on

Jump in the shower, throw your hair up, rush your makeup or skincare – all whilst blasting some good tunes. A bit of cheesy pop music will lift your spirits and suddenly, early mornings aren’t that bad. There’s nothing better than having a little groove first thing to get your body moving and your thoughts flowing. You’ll thank yourself when you’ve got to sit for an hour straight listening to your lecturers yap. Or while you play the Wordle for the day, we won’t judge.

Eat a good breakfast before you leave

If you promise yourself a good breakfast before your lecture, that’s another reason to get out of bed. Good food will give you the energy to absolutely slay your 9am lecture. A full English might be a stretch as broke students, but eggs on toast, an aesthetic yogurt bowl or cereal are a few budget-friendly ideas. You can’t go wrong with just an apple or slice of toast to take on the way if you’re running late. There’s nothing better than feeling fuelled mentally to tackle the 699 or that long walk on a dark morning all the way to campus.

Find a friend to suffer alongside you

A problem shared is a problem halved, right? When the days leading up to reading week start to get rough, roping a friend into coming along with you can solve every problem.

Waking up, checking my phone, and seeing a text from your friend letting you know they’re not going to the lecture is an instant justification to go straight back to sleep. Why does their absence justify mine? It doesn’t. But in my sleep deprived brain, it does. So, find a reliable lecture buddy who will not ditch you. Being up early really isn’t that bad when you’re suffering alongside someone else. Having someone else to complain to about how tired you are makes it much more bearable.

Walk if you can, don’t take the bus

I know rolling out of bed to grab the 699 bus sounds quicker and easier, but trust me, walking to uni is the way to go. Sitting on a warm bus half asleep? Guaranteed to make you even more tired. Walking? Wakes you up, gets your steps in and justifies sitting in bed for the rest of the day. It gives you an excuse to rest and grab a coffee because you’re just so exhausted from stomping all the way to campus. If you keep the happy tunes going on your walk then you’re manifesting the good vibes you’ll need to get you through the day.

Consume as much caffeine as possible

A 9am without a big dose of caffeine is basically impossible. Treat yourself to a double shot coffee so scraping through the day feels a bit less daunting. The Caffe Nero on campus offers student discount – and their tiramisu latte is elite. If you’re on a budget, make your own and take it in a flask. Either way, fuel up on as much coffee as humanely possible, or a fancy flavoured matcha from Union Brew on the way to that back to back lecture.

Remember that you can go back to bed

One thing that gets me through a 9am is reminding myself that my comfortable, warm bed will be waiting for me when I get back. Getting up and actually making it to a lecture is an achievement in itself, but the reward of getting back into bed after? Unreal.

If you have a nine to five schedule and can’t do this (unheard of for most SOTA students) then I’m truly sorry. You are stronger than I’ll ever be and I don’t envy you at all. Just keep it in the back of your mind that after 6pm you’ll be tucked up watching TikTok for the rest of the evening. It’s pure bliss.

Reward yourself – you’ve earned it

And you did it! You have successfully made it to your 9am lecture, which is not an easy task. Treat yourself to a Greggs or a sweet treat before heading back home. You deserve it. By the time Friday rolls around you’ll be so close to a weekend of relaxing, stomping around Sefton Park and hanging out in the sun with your best friends. It’s almost pub garden weather – hold on tight.

Hopefully this inspires some of you to get out of bed and attend that 9am. And if not? We listen, and we don’t judge. We’ve all been there.