No More Mourning the Morning

There are typically three ways we break up the time of day: morning, afternoon, and night. Morning, regardless of what time that may be for you, is the initial start to your day. Some would argue that the morning can make or break your day. People’s start to the morning may look different every weekday, but as students, school usually provides us with a weekly routine.

Routines can be something you hate to love or love to hate. They can be boring or beneficial, but ultimately, they are what you make of them. Oftentimes having negative associations, as they tend to give the impression of being stuck in time. Doing the same thing over and over again may seem repetitive. However, you can choose to look at it differently. Whether that be completing the same tasks every morning, or no routine is your routine, whichever it may be, it can provide more freedom. That could be freedom for the weekend or freedom for the next part of your life.

Students occupy busy lives. Socially, academically, and personally, we are constantly engaged. Usually, we take advantage of every spare moment we have due to the hecticness of our lives. This is why the morning can provide a sense of stability, enabling you to embrace wherever the rest of the day, week, or months to come may lead.

When asking students what significance their morning patterns have, Katie Berneking, a senior, says, “My morning routine really establishes how well the rest of my day is going to go. If I start it off really well and right, it’s going to put me in a better mood and make me more motivated to do more things.” We all have those days that just seem like nothing is going right. But, when a morning is efficient, the rest of the day typically tends to follow.

On the other hand, a morning schedule may not be crucial for others. Connor Henkle, a senior, says, “If I don’t always stick to a set morning routine, it doesn’t have a big effect on the rest of the day. But, I do notice I have extra energy to start off the day once I meet all my necessities. So I’d say a medium to low influence.” What works for some, may not always work for others. A large part of us may lay in the same category as Henkle. When your days end up looking different, so will your mornings.

For many University of Oregon students, having an active morning, whether that be going on a walk outside or making your way to the rec, is the most effective use of time. Brian Hamlin, a junior, says, “I usually get out of bed just before 7 am and do a set of pushups and situps, drink a protein shake, and then go to the gym.” Getting active in the beginning of your day can eliminate the stress of making time later. The benefits of being active first thing in the morning are countless: increased alertness, more energy, better overall mood, improved sleep, etc. (1).

Self-care is also a consistency in morning routines amidst students. Sophomore, Maggie Combs’ morning consists of doing a skin care routine, putting on makeup, fixing her hair, and picking out an outfit. Combs says these steps are important for her self-care. Self-care can look different for everyone. It can be taking the extra 15 minutes to get ready for class in the morning, a phone call home, making your bed, or having that cup of coffee! Regardless of what it may be for you, taking time to care for yourself can make all the difference in your life.

Morning person or not, finding out what works for your day can be integral to your well-being. Habits can be hard to break but making the changes to impact your routine will be beneficial. Diego Marquez, a junior, says his goal is to become more efficient in the mornings. Marquez makes emphasis on spending less time on his phone and putting that time to better use. Studies have shown that by going on your phone first thing in the morning, you are skipping important states when going from being asleep to awake. By skipping these states, you are setting your brain up for distractions (2).

It is important to recognize how a simple change can make a difference and allow you to keep moving forward with your day. At the end or the beginning of the day, taking action during the time you have and making the best of what is there allows you to get the most out of yourself. Do you know what works for you? In order to find out what may be the most advantageous, trying out new routines or tweaking one thing for another is valuable. This can help find what gives you the greatest impact at the start of your day!

Resources https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/working-out-in-themorning#benefits https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/04/02/whyyou-should-stop-checking-your-phone-in-the-morning-and-what-to-doinstead/?sh=4bac6e5e2684

WRITTEN BY JOSIE WILLARD

ART DIRECTOR

MIRA EAGAN

PHOTOGRAPHED BY PARKER BELL MODELS

CHI-AN LU, AMELIA KENNEDY, ISABELLA MORGAN, ALVIN LEVIE, CAROLINE RUSCH, CHANYN JAMES, CHLOE ROMAGNOLO & KIMBERLY MORRIS DESIGNER

PAYTON ALONZO