Unpopular Opinion: 8 a.m.s are Great

Reported By: Ellaynah Brown

Illustrated By: Sydney Simmons

Remember back in high school when it was normal to wake up before the sun and roll out of bed to turn off your alarm at 6 a.m.? Yeah, neither do I. As I looked at my spring semester schedule discovering that I had to be up, ready, and in class by 8 a.m. every day of the week, I questioned how I ever woke up before 9 a.m. and how I was expected to do it now. 

As much as I dreaded this disruption to my sleep schedule, I had to come to terms with the new reality that I would have to become a morning person. While I have only been at this new lifestyle for a few short weeks, I have come to appreciate the many gifts of the early mornings. 

An obvious reward of the early alarm is the extra time you are given during the day. As many lifestyle influencers and early morning advocates will tell you, these extra hours can maximize productivity and allow you to get more done in a day. As I have discovered, the early mornings are a great time to take it slow and spend time with yourself. 

While some people have the ability to do work in the morning, my brain is not accustomed to that routine. I like to spend my mornings prepping my mind for the day, whether it is writing out what I am grateful for, reading, creating a to-do list, or just praying and setting my intentions for the day. 

Specific to the 8 a.m. classes, I have found that because I get my classes done early, I have a lot more time in the afternoon to give back to myself. Making the best of the situation, not only do I have 8 a.m. classes, but I scheduled them intentionally to be back-to-back: meaning I am done with classes by lunch. I am able to spend the rest of my day working my on-campus job, hanging out with friends, or getting my homework done before 6 p.m.

With morning classes, it is important to maintain a healthy sleep schedule so the mornings are a little more bearable. I can typically get all of my tasks done before dinner, allowing me to take my night routine slowly, wind down with a show, and be in bed by 9 p.m. 

While this lifestyle is often discouraged by many college students, I have found that there are many pros to trying out the early-bird schedule. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t get easier to wake up to your first alarm, but it does have the ability to make your day better. 

For me, I have to maintain a positive mindset and remember that as quickly as the morning comes, the night will come too. But this time, I can look back at all that I have done and feel more productive than ever before.