This year, Principal Stephen Imbusch moved the start time of high school back fifteen minutes; however, students still find mornings to be really challenging. As students who stay up late completing homework and meeting deadlines, we here at The Rebellion understand this morning struggle and have created a list of helpful habits to make the mornings more tolerable. We are no experts, but we hope these tips will help to kickstart a more happy and energized school day.
Music in the mornings
To avoid getting irritated by the anger inducing buzz of an alarm clock, replace that annoying sound with an upbeat favorite song, and a percentage of morning negativity will evaporate. Compiling an energetic happy Spotify playlist to play on the way to school is often all it takes to transition from tired and irritable to vibrant and ready to tackle the day.
Staff Song Recommendations:
Melanie Weber: Paranoid by Ty Dolla $ign
Grace Donovan: Starving by Hailee Steinfeld
Tara Gordon: 15 by Taylor Swift
Emily Butler: Guap by Big Sean
Lillie Hunter: Somebody Else by VÉRITÉ
Gabby Donahue: Bubbly by Colbie Caillat
Organize
By preparing an outfit and making sure everything is in your backpack before bed, mornings become seemingly effortless. It makes it especially easy when you are not rushing to see if that shirt is clean, or where it is that you put the math assignment. This tactic also eliminates the risk of enduring that heart stopping panic of getting to school and realizing that you left the homework on your kitchen counter in the midst of rushing around.
Do not spend hours on social media before bed
Most of us scroll through social media and text in bed until we are physically incapable of keeping our eyes open and even then we fall asleep with the phone in arm’s reach, just in case. It can be so difficult to put your phone away at night, but using a cell phone right before bed will delay the neurotransmitters that tell the brain it is time to go to sleep. Aim to use your phone for the last time about an hour before bed and do online homework when you get home
Staff Anecdotes for Late Night Phone Use:
Andrea Traietti: Leaves phone downstairs.
Abby Hile/Michaela Donato/ Devin McKinney: Use nightshift on iPhone to help transition eyes
Grace Sewell: “I use nightshift during the day and while I’m watching netflix, I feel like the light is better for my eyes and It helps me fall asleep”
Exercise and Stay Hydrated
Exercising and staying hydrated are basic principles of health and they also contribute to a better night sleep, which ultimately results in a more pleasant morning. Even simply taking a walk outside to get some fresh air can help you have a more restful nights sleep. Staying hydrated can be made easier through the purchase of a water bottle you like and infusing the water with lemon or cucumber. If you are really striving to be more hydrated, try and fill up a water bottle before every class and drink it before the period ends, as dehydration tends to be at least half the source of morning drowsiness.
Staff Opinions about morning exercise:
“I do pushups every morning right when I wake up. It is a great way to start off my day” Aidan Chariton
“Taking a cold shower in the morning after I do some quick exercises helps me wake up” Michaela Donato
Nap if necessary
Push aside the preconceived notion that naps are designated for the residents of preschools because half hour naps can serve as great refreshers for busy students. Anything more than a half hour nap tends to leave a person feeling relatively confused and groggy, so try keeping it within that time frame. Napping is not for everyone though; people who know they struggle to wake up and will sleep for hours on end should simply focus on getting a good night’s sleep.
