Category: College Life

Many people talk about the importance of having a college morning routine, but what they don’t tell you is that it’s very hard to get up earlier when you don’t prepare the night before. That’s why creating a college evening routine is just as important as a morning routine.

Think about it.

If you don’t prepare to have a good night’s sleep, what makes you think you can get up easily the next morning well-rested and ready to start your day?

So in order to wake up feeling awesome and ready to be more productive during your morning routine before class, you must first plan your evening routine.

Let’s get started!

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When to Start Your College Evening Routine

This will be different from person to person.

You can start your routine once you get back from your last class of the day, or after you finish dinner.

Figure out what you want to do and stick to it. New habits and routines are easier to implement when you pick a consistent time to do them.

I personally start my evening routine after dinner. Once the kitchen is all cleaned up, it signals to my brain that it’s time to start winding down for the day.

 

 

What to do Before Bed – College Evening Routine Ideas

There are two main categories of things you can do in the evening before you go to sleep:

• Things to set yourself up for a productive morning
• Things to wind you down so you can fall asleep faster

Set Yourself Up for a Productive Morning

It’s a good idea to do a few things the night before so you don’t have to do them in the morning while you’re still half asleep. You’ll have an easier and more relaxing morning routine if you don’t have to make any decisions first thing in the morning.

Try doing a few of these things to help set you up for the morning.

1. Plan for Success

"You can't succeed without first planning to succeed."

It’s true ain’t it? How do you expect to succeed at anything without planning for success?

This is why it’s a good idea to take some time before bed to plan the next day.

Go through your calendar of assignments and projects and determine what you’re going to work on tomorrow and when.

Then ask yourself:

• What are your top 3 priorities for tomorrow?
• What do you hope to accomplish?
• Which goals are you focusing on tomorrow?

Write down your answers to these questions and review them in the morning to start your day.

2. Tidy Up

A clean house is the best thing to wake up to. Plus it can also help put your mind to rest knowing there isn’t a mess waiting for you in the morning.

Set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes and do a quick clean-up. Clean off your desk, wipe down the kitchen counter, and fold the blankets that are all over the floor. It may not be much, but just doing those few things will make the room look so much better.

3. Prepare for Tomorrow

What can you do ahead of time for tomorrow?

You can set out your clothes, pack your backpack and gym bag, make your lunch, plan your meals and see if you need to pull something out of the freezer to thaw, etc.

And most importantly: set the coffee timer.

Doing these few things can speed up your morning and create less wasteful minutes making these decisions when you may still be half asleep.

 

Time to Wind Down

After you’ve done things to make tomorrow morning easier, it’s time to start winding down.

Try doing some of these calming activities before bed to help you relax and fall asleep faster. Which will lead to a better quality of sleep so you can tackle the next day with a full night’s rest.

4. Self-Care

I like to treat my entire evening routine as my self-care time. Any self-care activity will do; have a bath, do a face mask, make a cup of tea, read your favorite book, or watch that one last episode of “Friends” before bed (though not right before bed ?)

Check out these self-care activities for more inspiration.

 

5. Stretch Your Body (Bedtime Yoga)

Start your wind-down ritual with some light bedtime yoga. This helps relieve the tensions built up from the day, plus it can improve your flexibility.

Try my favorite bedtime yoga sequence by “Yoga with Adriene” on Youtube. See how much better you feel, both at night and in the morning.

6. Skin Care

At the end of a long day, your skin deserves some pampering. Take off the makeup, wash your face, and put lotion on your skin. Your skin protects your body all day so why not treat it to a nice evening. The most important thing you can do for your skin is to find the products that work best for it.

I wash my face both in the morning and before bed with E.L.F.s daily face cleanser and pair it with the bedtime night cream. These two things have been my go-to for years and my skin thanks me for it.

After that, I find my favorite smelling lotion and put it on my legs and arms. Currently, I’ve been really into this lotion from Bath and Body Works and it’s fragranced with natural essential oils that promote stress relief. Perfect for right before bed.

Plus I go to bed smelling nice and clean?

And of course, don’t forget to take care of your teeth, too. Brush them, floss them, and rinse with mouth wash.

You’ll go to bed all clean and smelling awesome.

7. Read a book

If you don’t include reading in your mornings as I do, then this may be the only time you have to indulge in your favorite fictional story.

Spend some time reading just a few pages before bed and you’ll find that love of reading you may have had as a kid before school seemed to have gotten in the way.

Reading is also a better way to wind down without screens that can inhibit your ability to fall asleep.

8. Journal

Now I usually do my big journaling session in the morning but you could also do one at night. It doesn’t have to be that long. You could write about what happened that day and reflect on it. Or you can just jot down a few quick things you are grateful for. That’s all I do and it makes me feel so good right before bed.

Related: How to Start a Journal

9. Turn off the electronics

We have all been told a thousand times that looking at screens before bed is harmful to our sleep. So how about we actually listen to that advice. You’ll get much better sleep, I promise you.

Try putting your phone “to bed” about an hour before you plan to shut off the lights. And if you have an alarm clock that isn’t your phone (which I highly recommend), try keeping your phone outside the bedroom or on the other side of the room so you aren’t tempted to reach for it both before bed and first thing in the morning.

Tip: make it cute to “put your phone to bed” by getting one of these cute phone holders on Amazon.

10. Meditate

Try being silent. Like actually truly silent. These days we don’t get to sit in silence all that often cause there is always something going on.

Meditation is the best way, in my opinion, to achieve this silence. It doesn’t have to be that long. Try setting a timer for 5-10 minutes and just focus on your breathing.

This will help put your mind to bed as well and make it easier to fall asleep.

Something to consider:

Start small

Please don’t try to incorporate all of these ideas at once. Sure a “perfect” college evening routine may include all or most of these but it’s hard to start a new routine with so many steps. Just start with a few at first.

May I recommend a 10-minute tidy-up, reading a book, and doing nighttime yoga? Notice how much better you’ll sleep and how you feel in the morning with just those 3 new habits. Once you’ve established that an evening routine is important for your overall productivity as a college student, add some more of these ideas into your evening.

My Evening Routine (if you are interested)

6:30p – clean up kitchen after dinner

7:00p – watch 1 episode of my current binge (currently that’s “Supernatural”)

7:45p – my skincare routine

8:00p – put my phone to bed & 10-minute tidy

8:10p – bedtime yoga, meditate & gratitude journal

8:30p – read

9p – lights out

Final Thoughts

Take my evening routine as inspiration for your own. Do not completely copy mine because not everyone’s routine is the same.

Take some time to figure out what is best for you and slowly integrate it into your own evening routine.

Your future self with thank you for getting an evening routine established in college.

*If you missed last week’s college morning routine post, make sure you check it out.

The first step to becoming a productive college student is to first set up routines.

When routines are established, you can spend more of your energy on studying rather than deciding what to do next.

Good luck this semester, you’ve got this!

More College Related Posts:

How to Time Block Your College Schedule

How to Use Syllabus Week to Get Ahead this Semester

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Creating a college morning routine that is perfect for you and sets you up for the busy day ahead will probably be the biggest challenge you face as a college student.

I mean let’s face it:

• You’re constantly worried about the next exam coming up,
• If you finished all your assignments and didn’t forget one,
• You’re trying to have some kind of social life,
• Oh, and you probably have a job or internship, and maybe a club that’s taking up your time.

Late nights and being tired all the time have become the norm.

You think there’s no way you could maintain a good morning routine to set you up for the day ahead.

But let me tell you something, you can!

Now quick disclaimer, I was NOT a morning person before college.

Even during my first semester, getting up just a little bit earlier than needed was not on my radar.

But now?

I love mornings! Yep, you read that right.

I have found the perfect tricks that make me want to get out of bed every morning.

What you do in the mornings, directly affects how the rest of your day will go.

I can’t imagine not doing these things I’m about to share with you. They make my mornings enjoyable. I’ll never go back.

Are you ready to make your perfect morning routine?

Let’s get started.

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College Morning Routine Ideas:

1. Stop using your phone as an alarm clock!

Seriously, it is way too easy to hit snooze on your phone and roll back over or immediately start scrolling through social media in bed instead of just getting up.

In Hal Elrod’s book “The Miracle Morning for College Students”, he includes this quote by Demetri Martin:

“If you really think about it, hitting the snooze button in the morning doesn’t even make sense. It’s like saying, ‘I hate getting up in the morning, so I do it over and over and over again.'”

I mean think about it.

Do you really want to hear that alarm go off over and over again? You’re just putting off the inevitable and giving yourself less time to get ready before class.

Instead, try out this alarm clock on Amazon. I got a sunrise alarm clock a few years ago and it has completely changed the way I wake up now. Instead of waking up suddenly from a blaring sound, I wake up gently as the clock imitates a sunrise.

This alarm clock simulates the sun rising in your room.

It slowly gets brighter 10-30 minutes before the alarm is set to go off. You can decide how early you want the light to start.

It is especially helpful for those winter months when you have to get up before the sunrises.

This alarm also includes nature sounds to wake you up which is so much less annoying than the blaring beeping on your phone.

Plus when you shut the alarm off the light stays on until you shut it off so you can use it to illuminate your room.

Also, put it on the other side of the room! You have a better chance of staying out of bed if you have to get up to shut the alarm off.

Try it for yourself. I will never go back to a regular alarm clock ever again.

2. Turn the lights on, splash water on your face, and get a glass of water.

Do these three things right after you shut your alarm off.

DO NOT crawl back into bed or grab your phone and start scrolling through social media.

Go straight to the bathroom, turning the lights on as you go, or opening the curtains. Getting some light on as soon as possible makes it easier to stay awake.

Once you’re in the bathroom, splash some water on your face. I usually do cold water cause nothing can wake you up faster than some ice-cold water on your face.

Right after that, drink a full glass of water.

Your body is dehydrated when you first wake up and dehydration can cause fatigue which makes you more likely to want to crawl back into bed.

Keep a glass next to your bathroom sink or a water bottle next to your alarm clock. Doesn’t matter where just drink some water asap.

3. Make some coffee or tea

Congratulations!

You’ve successfully gotten out of bed without hitting snooze, why not reward yourself?

Brew your favorite coffee and make it something you look forward to every morning. This little reward will increase your chances of getting up.

If you hit that snooze button and lose 5-10 minutes, then you don’t have time to make some delicious coffee.

Even if you live in a dorm, you can still make some awesome coffee with a small dorm size Keurig.

Or you can be a little fancier and use a French Press and warm up your water using an electric kettle. (make sure to check with your university first before purchasing these items as some schools don’t allow them?)

 

All these items you can find on Amazon for relatively cheap.

Stop wasting money on a Starbucks coffee on your way to class when you can easily make it right in your dorm room.

4. Make your bed

While your coffee (or tea) is brewing go back to your bedroom and make your bed.

Do NOT crawl back into it.

The act of making your bed right away in the morning can skyrocket your productivity for the day.

You’ve only been awake for maybe 10 minutes and you’ve already done something to clean up your room.

Plus you won’t want to mess up a beautifully made bed to crawl back into it, right?

A made bed also immediately makes your room look clean and put together and who doesn’t love a clean space. You could also decorate it with some cute throw pillows.

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The next few items can be done in whatever order you choose. This is the order my mornings go, but you’ll find what works best for you over time.

5. Meditation

I’ve only recently added this to my morning routine and it is the hardest but I feel so calm and focused after.

You don’t have to meditate for 30 minutes. Seriously, I only do 5-10 minute meditation sessions, because quite frankly, it’s difficult to sit in silence for that long. But it is very rewarding.

There are so many studies on meditation and I don’t want to bore you.

All I’m gonna recommend is starting with 5-minute guided meditations that are all over youtube.

6. Do a mini-workout

Getting the blood flowing right away in the morning feels so good.

Some mornings I just don’t feel like doing anything, but I force myself to put on my workout clothes and get my heart pumping.

After my workout, I feel “alive, awake, alert, and enthusiastic”. (tell me you sang that too right?)

But seriously, I have the best days when it starts with a workout.

These don’t have to be intense 30-minute workouts or a run around the neighborhood. There are so many short home workout routines on youtube that can do just the trick.

Try not to do the same thing every morning, mix it up. You can do yoga, a HIIT workout, or some cardio.

Make a schedule ahead of time so you aren’t wasting 5 minutes of your morning trying to decide what to do.

Also, make working out appealing to your half-asleep self.

Layout some cute workout clothes the night before. And have your yoga mat already laid out and ready to go.

If you don’t have a yoga mat yet, I recommend this one from Amazon. It’s inexpensive and comes in so many different colors.

7. Shower and get ready for the day

After I’m all sweaty and gross, it’s time for a shower.

If you’re a shower-at-night person just ignore this step, but seriously showering in the morning is the last thing I need to complete my morning and be completely awake and feel put together to start my day.

After your shower, get dressed in something that makes you feel put together and happy.

No, you don’t have to wear a suit to class. That’s not what I’m saying. But wear something that you feel great in.

Dressing up a little nicer than just some sweats can make you feel confident and ready to conquer your day.

8. Breakfast!

I know you’ve heard it before, but I definitely believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Without it, I feel groggy and tired again by the time I get to my first class.

I know some people just can’t eat right away in the morning and I’m not saying you should but seriously, if you’re not starving by the time you finish a workout, then I think you’re crazy?

You don’t have to make an elaborate meal like eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns.

You could make a simple smoothie or protein shake, or if you’re running late, grab a protein bar. Just make sure it’s something you enjoy with enough protein to get you through the morning.

9. Listen to some music or a podcast

During most of my morning routine, I have music or a podcast playing. I find that I get really motivated to start my day when I’m listening to a powerful podcast.

Or if I want to get pumped up, I’ll turn on my favorite tunes. Sometimes I’ll even start dancing in the kitchen while making breakfast.

Music can change your attitude and emotions in seconds. It’s crazy!

10. Journal

This doesn’t have to take long. Literally set a timer and just write for a bit.

You could have some pre-made writing prompts or write down 5 things you are grateful for or do some stream of consciousness writing. This helps clear your mind to be ready for the day ahead.

Ready to give journaling a try? Grab these 30 free journal prompts to get you started!

11. Read Something

The last major thing I do is read a self-help book.

I love learning about anything in the realm of personal development, hence this blog. I especially love learning something right in the morning and then applying it to the rest of my day.

If that’s not something you enjoy then find a fiction book you like and read a chapter in the morning.

This can also act as another reward if you get up early enough and love reading.

You could also put this habit into your commute to school.

I used to live about 30 minutes from campus by car. So I would sometimes listen to an audiobook during my commute if I ran out of time in the morning.

Here are some personal development books that I recommend.

Other things you could add to your morning routine:

• Do something creative in the morning, like painting, writing, or bullet journaling. Get those creative juices flowing right away.
• Read the daily news
• Get some fresh air
• Review your monthly, quarterly, or weekly goals
• Recite affirmations
• Look at a vision board
• Read some inspirational quotes
• Pray and read the Bible

For even more ideas check out 20 Morning Routine Ideas that will Make You Want to Get Up

What some more inspiration? Check out these books:

The Miracle Morning – Hal Elrod

 

The 5 am Club – Robin Sharma

Final Thoughts

Your morning routine doesn’t have to be an elaborate 3-hour ritual.

It’s your morning. Do whatever you want with however much time you want to give yourself.

Also, don’t feel like you need to do all of these things. Just try a few at a time to figure out what you like and what best prepares you for the day.

What is your favorite thing to do during your morning routine? Let me know in the comments!

Now that you’ve made a morning routine, why not make a college evening routine too?

More College Related Posts:

Time Blocking Your College Schedule

What to do During Syllabus Week for Your Best Semester Yet

Sunday Habits for Busy College Students

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Syllabus week is the best week of the semester in my opinion.

And not just because there aren’t any huge assignments due yet.

It’s because you have so much time to organize your entire semester!

I have a few things I would do during every syllabus week that would help me get ahead in the semester and I’m gonna share those tips with you.

I believe these tips are the reason I was on the Dean’s List every semester in college!

Here are the 5 Things I did during every Syllabus Week:

This article contains affiliate links. That means, if you click through and make a purchase using an affiliate link, I will earn a small compensation at no extra cost to you.

1. Create an Organization System that Works for You

At the beginning of every semester, I would create new pages in my current planning system to organize everything school-related.

I’ve used bullet journals, Notion, or even just a composition notebook. Just create some sort of system that will work for you.

Next, decide how you are going to organize all your papers and notes for each class.

Are you going completely digital? Will you have a separate 3 subject notebook for every class?

Also, you probably want a few simple folders too, right?

Make all these decisions at the beginning of the semester rather than a few weeks in to avoid losing those first few important papers, like your syllabus…

2. Save all of your professors’ contact information somewhere safe.

Now that you know where you’re going to organize all your notes and papers, let’s find an easy-to-access place to keep your professors’ contact information.

Each syllabus you get for each class will contain your professor’s email, phone number, office location, office hours, etc.

Instead of keeping track of a handful of syllabuses, why not combine all that information onto one sheet.

Get a sheet of paper and write down all the information you need for each class.

You can paste this paper on the inside cover of your planner, or have it as a document you always keep on your desktop, clearly labeled.

Just put it somewhere that you won’t lose it and it is easily accessible.

3. Put all exam dates into your calendar!

For the most part, your professors have already planned out the entire semester and already know when your first exam will be.

They will usually include the dates for all your exams in the syllabus they give you.

Take the time you have in the first week of class to write down all these important dates.

Here are a few ideas on where to put these important dates:

• Google Calendar – You can even set it up to remind you a week before the exam. Google calendar can also be viewed on your phone for easy access.
• Dated Planner – If you’re a physical planner person, flipped to each month in your planner and write down each exam for each class. You can even highlight it so it stands out!
• Wall Calendar – As long as your wall calendar is in a place you’d see it every day, this is a great spot to write down your upcoming exams.
• Future Log – If you use a bullet journal like me, you haven’t yet written out the next 3-4 monthly spreads. Instead, create a page at the beginning of your bujo for a future log. You can write down all your exam dates there.

4. Create a Running Assignment List for All Your Preplanned Assignments/Projects/Readings

This is a tip I recommend to everyone because this is what changed the way I planned out my semester.

For the most part, your professors include a list of assignments and due dates for the entire semester in your syllabus.

Take the time you have now to organize all your assignments in one place.

The best way I’ve found to completely organize all my assignments is to use Notion. Here’s an example of my Notion Running Task List:

Using Notion you can enter all your assignments and projects in any order, then using the sort function, you can sort it by the due date.

As you complete an assignment you can check it off, then using the filter function you can have Notion not include assignments that are checked off.

As the semester goes on this list gets shorter and shorter.

What’s more satisfying and rewarding than that?!

The best part about using Notion in this way is that you’ll never lose track of an assignment as long as the due date is correct.

You can even see if one week is gonna be harder than the week before and do a few assignments ahead of time to reduce the stress for that week.

*I’m not sponsored by Notion. I just love using it and I think it’s an awesome tool.

5. Create Your Weekly Schedule

Probably the most important thing you could do is to make sure you know where you need to be every day.

I highly recommend putting your class schedule into your google calendar so you can clearly see how much time you have in between classes for food, studying, or if you need it, a quick nap.

I have a separate blog post on how to time block your college schedule using google calendar. Check it out!

That’s it! Those are the 5 things I do during every syllabus week that gets me ahead of everyone else. Is there something I missed that you also do during the first week of classes? Let me know in the comments. Also, if you have more questions about Notion, let me know!

I hope you have a successful and full-filling Winter Semester. Good luck and you can do it!

Check out my other college life related posts.