The perks of being an early bird in college
Yes its possible – and sometimes fun – to be an early riser in college
There are two types of people in this world: morning people & everyone else. Despite being a college student, I happen to fall into the former category.
My whole life I’ve been an early bird. I was the first kid awake at every slumber party. I was the reason why my parents had to make a rule that we could not go downstairs on Christmas morning before 8 am. In high school I would always drive my friends in the morning because I was up anyway. And to this day, I am one of the few students who eagerly enrolls in an 8 am class. Never on a Friday morning though. Even I have my limits.
As you can see, being an early bird is a lifestyle. The following list is some of the perks that come with such a lifestyle. Those who press the snooze button in the morning need not read on.
For instance, our Campus editor, Lily
Morning is the ideal time to meet with professors
Let’s face it– teaching college students can be a draining task. That’s why it’s best to catch your professors first thing in the morning when you need to meet with them. Not only do they admire that you woke up extra early for them, but they also tend to be most helpful early in the day when their brains are fresh.
Plus, if you’re looking to have them round your grade up, I’ve noticed that most professors tend to be more generous earlier on in the day. Just saying…
A normal day
Morning is the best time to make phone calls
One of the hardest parts about living in a dorm (unless, of course, it’s a single) is the lack of privacy. I find that the best time of the day to make my phone calls is in the morning, when few people are awake and around.
Just make sure to never be that person talking on the phone in the hallway when the whole floor is asleep… that’s the worst kind of person.
Lunch rush!
Beat the Starbucks line
Perhaps one of the best advantages of waking up early is beating the line at Starbucks, Dunkin, Brueggers, Provence, Three Brothers, Commons – wherever you purchase your morning coffee.
There really is nothing worse than falling asleep while waiting in an endless line for coffee.
You are guaranteed to not see anyone at the Rec
I hate seeing people at the gym, which is why I head there first thing in the morning. Almost all the machines are empty, giving you the freedom to use whichever one you’d like. And you don’t have to worry about seeing that guy you hooked up with last weekend.
For a totally stress-free rec experience, going early in the morning is ideal.
No chance of looking good at the gym
You’re most likely to get an empty study room
If there’s one thing you can be sure of as a Vandy student, it’s that any and all study rooms will likely be occupied from 12pm-12 am.
By scoping a room out early in the morning, you have a lot more options. Don’t just settle for a noisy table in Rand. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
One person spreading out all their stuff to pretend there are multiple people studying in here.
The showers are usually unoccupied
Because showering in any of the Vandy dorms is never really a pleasant experience (in fact, it’s more of a hazard), it’s best to shower early in the day. The shower stalls tend to be cleanest (read: least hairballs on the floor) in the morning and will be pretty empty so you’ll never have to wait for that one stall with the best water pressure.
Make your shower experience slightly more tolerable by going early in the day.
Maximize your day
By far the best perk of waking up early is how it maximizes one’s day. As college students, we know there are simply never enough hours to do everything that needs to be done. However, by waking up early, you can accomplish way more than you ever imagined – and all by noon. The secret to productive days is waking up early. Oh, and of course a good nap in the afternoon if you’ve earned it.
Though it may not be the norm, I highly recommend the early bird lifestyle on a college campus. With the help of coffee and a ritual afternoon nap you can be one too!