Getting ready before school can be very stressful for teens, whose brain doesn’t start to function until 10 am.  Having an effective morning routine can set up your day for success.

With school starting at 7:30, many students, like sophomore Jonah Holderer, have to wake up at 5:30.  Jonah gets up early to “do some push-ups and play some guitar” before going through the usual steps of shower, eating breakfast, and brushing his teeth.  Luckily his mother drives him and he doesn’t leave until 7:15. Unlike Jonah, sophomore Dianna Glaser wakes up at 6:08 and her bus picks her up at 6:40.

“My mom drags me out of bed,” said sophomore Madison Steedman, who has trouble getting up in the morning. Some tips for students, like Madison, who have a hard time getting up, are to “pick your outfit out the night before so you can sleep a little extra,” Dianna said. Madison also suggests “going to bed earlier so it’s easier to get up.”

On Wiki How, researchers recommend to prepare for the next day to relieve stress in the morning and to minimize the risk of being late. Also studies show that eating a healthy breakfast prepares you for the day ahead, both mentally and physically.

To compare the morning routine of teens versus teachers, I spoke to social studies teacher Mr. McDermott, who describes his morning routines as “pretty efficient.”  McDermott gets up at 4:30 every morning and is at WHBHS by 6:30am.  He is “a morning person,” and by allowing himself two hours in the morning, he his able to sometimes squeeze in a run before school.  Getting up early is another good tip, so your mornings aren’t rushed.

Whatever your morning routine may be, hopefully you get to school at 7:30 am. See you in the morning!