I’d like to think of myself as a morning person. However, the reality of it is, I’m more of late morning (around 9:30 a.m.) person. So what was I thinking when I signed up for that 7:30 a.m. class?

I’m sure we have all struggled to get out of bed for those early morning classes and kicked ourselves all the way there, thinking, “I could still be in bed.” Especially when the sun isn’t all the way up yet, casting a grey light over campus, and the wind whips through your clothes, making you wish you were still wrapped in your blankets.

When you finally make it to class, you try to stifle numerous yawns as your professor goes on and on in a relaxing voice you’re convinced could be used for an instructional meditation CD.

But waking up for class doesn’t always have to be a battle. Check out some ways that have helped me wake up and make it on time to my early morning classes.

Get into a schedule!

Set a time to go to sleep and a time to wake up and stick to those times every single day. Eventually, your body will become accustomed to those times and waking up will be so much easier.

Personally, I like to take a hot shower and read a book to help me unwind and fall to sleep easier. In the morning, I like to make myself a cup of hot chocolate and eat breakfast before doing my hair and make-up. Establishing a sleep schedule and a routine makes waking up and getting out of bed a lot smoother.

There’s an app for that!

There are tons of apps out there that can assist in making waking up easier. These apps will record your sleep cycles and wake you up right before you start another one. This way, you are not waking up out of a deep sleep, making it even harder to get out of bed.

Some of the apps cost money, but a lot of them are free. My personal favorite app for sleep cycles is Sleep Meister, but experiment and find one that works best for you.

Wake up to your favorite music!

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely hate that classic alarm that sounds like tornado warning. Talk about a rude awakening! Try setting soft music or your favorite song for your alarm.

Music can bring you out of sleep peacefully, as opposed to that tiring adrenaline rush that the tornado warning brings. Waking up to music makes it easier to feel like you are ready to wake up and get out of bed.

So close, but still so far!

Place your alarm clock on the other side of your bedroom. This way, you have to get out of bed to turn it off. Once you’re already out of bed, it will be easier to stay awake and get going.

I am an extremely deep sleeper and find that if my alarm is far away it won’t wake me up. If you have a similar problem, set multiple alarms. Place one next to you, so that you will initially wake up, and place the other one far away, so you still have to get out of bed to turn it off.

Make it neat!

Once you are awake and out of bed, make your bed immediately. When your bed is neatly made, it will be less appealing to crawl back into it and hit the snooze button just one more time. Your parents or roommates will love the cleanliness!

However, they aren’t the only ones benefitting. I study in my bedroom and I find that it is so much easier to be focused and productive if the space is neat and tidy.

Early mornings can be hard, but they are a fact of life. Try these tips out for yourself, and hopefully one day we will all be morning people.