MORNING ROUTINES
"05:00: My adorably annoying cat, Lou, steps on my face and/or meows loudly from a distance, forces me awake to feed her.
05:05: Go back to sleep, painfully aware that I will have to be fully awake in 45 minutes. Waking up is stressful, but being late is more stressful. Spend those final minutes contemplating how productivity feels better than sleep...most of the time.
05:50: Alarm goes off. I DO NOT hit the snooze button. It is the kiss of death.
06:00: Find my way to the bathroom to take a shower, flick on all the lights I pass on my way to ensure I don’t mistake the darkness for an entire passing of a day and find my way back into bed after my shower. (Happens to the best of us.)
06:30ish: Be finished showering and try to figure out my outfit for the day. Remember that I didn’t charge my phone last night, plug it in and hope that it charges fully before I have to leave. It won’t.
06:40ish: Have at least half my outfit decided and on my body. Coffee.
07:15ish: I better have my food made by now or else I don’t get to put on makeup today. For me, making sure I eat in the morning is imperative to a productive day, while makeup is a luxury. This mentality helps me prioritize my time.
07:30ish: Have my dog, Lucy, fed and taken out and the other half of my outfit on, or else I don’t get to wear makeup today.
08:00: Since I started at around 07:30, I have my makeup and hair done and have finished my coffee and breakfast simultaneously — A skill that manifested out of necessity rather than practice.
Leave the house even though my class doesn’t start until 10:00 because parking where I need to is nonexistent after 08:30. That hour and a half of my time is invaluable; I can use it to prepare for class, get ahead on an assignment, or close my eyes for a few minutes — all of which makes me feel more organized and thus, less stressed.
All of these small steps that help me get from point A to point B at my most lazy time of the day help me pick up motivation. Feeling even slightly motivated first thing in the morning is a powerfully effective tool to leading a more goal-oriented day. Small goals achieved lead to big goals achieved, and help build positive habits towards tackling future obstacles."
- JULIA GIANNOTTI
"I live with three women — not girls, but women. We work late, study together for quizzes, and cook not-your-average college breakfast each morning. I come in with weekly stories and updates, ones we enjoy and laugh about while eating Espresso Waffles with a Mocha Drizzle. What makes me feel like I can go out and seize the day is knowing I have a home filled with people who look forward to me coming back each day.
Magic happens when you have that group of people that can come together and make warm waffles, each and every morning."
-ANONYOMOUS
