Waking up is hard, whether you decide to set an alarm for 6 AM, 7 AM, or even 5 AM, the process remains uncomfortable. However, I found that the earlier you wake up, the more prepared and refreshed you feel for the day.

While the school year continues, the workload also remains a prominent factor in many students’ lives. For me, staying on top of homework is especially important, which is why finding ways to incorporate assignments into my busy schedule is critical.

In the past, I have attempted to stay up hours on end until 1 in the morning, blindly doing my homework without taking away any real knowledge from the subject. After a couple tries, I found this method was not productive which made me think about reversing my schedule.

I decided to try waking up early yet at first, it was a mess. I would set an alarm for 4:45 AM, with the intention of getting out of bed at 5 yet this quickly backfired. I would end up hitting snooze dozens of times before ultimately getting up at 7 AM and missing the deadline of an assignment.With this, I decided to try waking up earlier but at lower levels. For example I would wake up at 6:50 and give myself 10 minutes to stay in bed before getting up. I continued this process until waking up at 6 AM was doable.

This change became an important way to start my day.

I live with three other people, my mom, dad and sister, which makes having time for myself nearly impossible. Someone is always playing music or watching TV, which can become a huge distraction. However, when I wake up earlier, I am greeted with comfortable silence.

This quiet hour alone provides me the opportunity to prepare for the day without other variables in the background. I can get dressed, make breakfast, complete homework and even shower without background noise.

This simple yet effective moment of time for myself sets the tone for my day. Sometimes if I decide to hit the snooze button, I wake up late which challenges the rest of my families’ schedule and overwhelms me. By waking up earlier, I can slowly prepare myself for the day and be ready in time to help my family in the morning.

To those who are still uncertain about waking up earlier, I recommend giving it at least a few tries. Not everyday will be easy but for individuals who live in busy households and want moments for themselves, I strongly believe waking up early can benefit one’s mood for the day.