Eight ways to get through that 8am

When signing up for classes, we’ve all made the mistake picking 8am’s. Whether it was accidental, or you genuinely thought you would magically transform into a morning person, you are stuck with them for the rest of the semester. Having made it through half the semester without missing a single class, this pro is here to save you with some tips:

Get some sleep

The best offense is a good defense, right? That means no more night stalking exs’ Facebooks or Instas on your phone; say goodnight to your friends, and get some shut eye.  Yeah, you’re in college now and want to rally all night, but when your alarm goes off in the morning, you’ll be thanking yourself for going to bed at a reasonable hour; even if it makes you feel like a grandparent.

Don’t hit snooze!

One time turns into two times and before you know it, you’ve slept through your entire semester. Besides, after a certain point your roommate may consider throwing your alarm – or you – out the window if they don’t have a class to wake up for. Actually, ignore this rule. If your roommate thinks they are going to be able to sleep in all smug-like because they avoided an 8 am in their schedule, they have another thing coming. If you have to wake up, so do they. But be prepared for the petty war that may ensue.

Pro-tip: if you hit snooze without thinking about it, you can remove the option to snooze when setting your alarm.

Plan out the details of your morning beforehand

It’s easy to say that when you wake up you’re going to be bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, ready to face the day, and all that optimistic bs. But when the alarm goes off and the sun isn’t even up yet, dragging yourself from the pillowy heaven into the cold, real world is a struggle. Instead of trying to pull your half-asleep self together in the morning, figure out the details the night before: plan out what you’re going to wear, pack your bag, go over your morning routine. With this battle plan at hand, you can zombie-walk your way through it in the morning with minimum effort.

Listen to music

One surefire way to get pumped for the day is to put on your favorite Spotify station and get bumpin’. Some textbooks are even downloadable as audio versions so you can catch up on the reading you definitely didn’t do last night. But, if your roommate is still snoozing maybe put in some headphones, unless you are in fact trying to start that petty war previously mentioned.

Eat breakfast

No, I don’t mean a Pop Tart on the way to class. Carve out 10 or 15 minutes to sit down and eat an actual meal. The cafeterias here are top-notch, but if you don’t have time, stop by your local Sparty’s and grab your daily combo exchange.

Pro-Tip: You can multitask during this too by scrolling through any social media platforms and catch up on any news (or better yet, shade and fights) that you missed when you went to be early. But be warned, the only people who post on Instagram in the morning are typically fitness bloggers. So when you’re smashing down that waffle with extra whipped cream, a girl smiling at her perfectly-toned abs may not be what you want to see.

Coffee coffee coffee

You knew this liquid gold was going to be on the list. If you don’t like coffee, try caffeinated tea. Some even advise an apple or glass of water for a healthier, more natural substitute. If you’re like me and wondering how bean water can be unhealthy in the first place, it may be a good idea to remember how much cream and sugar has to be added to make it drinkable. Regardless, I’m sticking with the warm, sugary substance.

Pro-Tip: Try adding a lot of cream and sugar to your coffee – then you have a caffeine buzz and a sugar rush. Multitasking at its finest.

Bike or walk to class

Science has shown that exercise helps the brain retain information, at least that’s what my gym teachers told me to get me to run. Instead of hopping on the bus, walk to your class. Also, have you seen Michigan State’s campus? The fall will make you love it all over again, the winter will most definitely make you hate it and crush your will to live, but the fall is great. So all-in-all, a wonderful option, you get those steps in, see the beautiful campus, and wake up. Win, win, win.

Sit in the front of class

There’s no scientific reasoning behind this one, just the pure terror of possibly falling asleep in plain view of the professor. That alone should keep you upright. Also, there’s research that proves that the closer a person sits to the front of the room the higher their gpa, on average, which is what you should be here for.

If you’re still thinking about skipping class to sleep in, ask yourself, “What would Sparty do?” He would power through the class, and he would follow this advice. Now get to class, or don’t because it’s probably the middle of the day, unless you’re reading this first thing in the morning in which case you’re most likely already late.