August is here. You know what that means. Back to waking up early, studying, teachers and homework. The first day of school, for some, was full of excitement and nerves, but others saw it just as an interruption of their sleep. Gone, for now, are the days of going to bed at 2 a.m. and waking up at noon the next day, randomly meeting up with your friends and being carefree with no schedule to follow. After three months of lax behavior, getting back into the rhythm of school is no joke. It is going to be a lot of work.
First, you should know what type of sleeper you are. If you tend to hit snooze on the alarm, it may be a good idea to put the alarm somewhere you can’t reach while lying in bed. If you tend to ignore your alarm altogether, then try setting more than one alarm. If this doesn’t help, try asking your roommate to wake you up. At times, everyone oversleeps and ends up running late. It’s just a part of life, but if you know that you’re more likely to be late than on time, maybe it would be in your best interest to set your alarm clock or watch fast. That will buy you more time and hopefully you’ll make it to class on time.
The biggest hassle every morning is deciding what to wear for the day. Everyone wants to look good and make a good first impression. In order to avoid rushing in the morning, why not lay out your clothes the night before? In the morning, you’ll only have to worry about hair, makeup and accessories. It’s a win-win; you get the look you want without having to rush, especially if you have an 8 a.m. class on the other side of campus.
UM’s campus is pretty big and can be confusing for new students. Once you get your schedule, take some time to walk around and find where your classes are. That way, you have an idea of where you need to go and you’re less likely to be wandering around lost the first week of school. No one wants to look like a deer in the headlights (though it is bound to happen at least once), but if you ask someone for help, they will most likely be able to point you in the right direction.
The most important thing to remember: work first, party later. There will always be parties, but only one opportunity to make a good first impression.