How To Make Waking Up Early Less Painful

Winter - it’s cold and dark, so where the hell does waking up at the crack of dawn fit in?

Some of us have early classes… early meaning before 10AM! I had to wake up early 3 days a week last fall and I’m not going to pretend it was easy.

The first few days I had to physically throw myself out of bed. I cursed myself for having responsibilities and stumbled around my apartment like a wounded animal. It wasn’t a pretty sight.

Despite this rocky start, it wasn’t long before I began to recognize the many benefits of rising at a decent hour:

Breakfast: Let’s get real. Breakfast food is some of the best stuff out there. Bagels, pancakes, cereal, fruit- it doesn’t get much better than that. Having time to actually eat it is a precious opportunity. Not only is breakfast food delicious, it’s part of a nutritionally balanced diet.

Beating Traffic: If you’ve ever commuted anywhere between the hours of 8 and 10 a.m. you know that driving on any major highway near your house is equivalent to being in the fiery pits of hell. If you’re not lucky enough to be jetting to work at the alarming speed of 5 mph, you’re vehicle is probably in “Park”. Leaving a bit earlier will give you a head start, allowing you to avoid some of the disgruntled commuters who are willing to maneuver their vehicles in any way possible to make it to work on time. Read More »

How Safe Are Those Drunk Rides Home?

“I’m only stopping in for one,? were always the last words I uttered on some of my biggest nights out. The second they escaped my lips, regardless of how much I meant it, I always ended up partying until at least 8 in the morning.

I was lucky, and more times than not, made it back to my apartment in one piece—though getting my key into my askew lock was mission impossible most of the time. There were a few occasions I woke up in an unknown location (“ok, I do know you… but how did I get here??).

On one of my worst homeward bound adventures, I decided it would be a wise idea to take the bus. I would save money by not taking a cab. The bus stop was right outside my apartment. It was daylight—why wouldn’t I use public transportation? I’ll tell you why.

I woke up half way across the city, with a wing to the bus all to myself. The second I opened my eyes, all I could smell was vodka and smoke—which kept people away from me and the surrounding seats open due to the vile smell seeping out of my pores. Read More »