Column by J1 Reporter Meredith Britson

Meredith’s Musings

Early mornings make me unproductive. I am not a morning person. In fact, if I have to wake up before 7:30, then I am grouchy and unpleasant to anyone and everyone. The worst part of my day is the moment my alarm goes off routinely at 6:20. I immediately set my snooze for an extra ten minutes. On a regular day, school starts at 7:45, meaning I have to leave at seven in order to pick up my carpools and drive to school. Because I have to leave at seven, I have to get up at the crack of dawn to go to school. 

Waking up early puts me in a rotten mood. After staying up late the night prior, the last thing I want to do is wake up before eight. Knowing I have to wake up at 6:30 is even worse. 

The earlier in the morning, the more sour my mood. On days when my sister needs to be at school early, I have to pull myself out of bed 40 minutes earlier. This means when my alarm goes off at 5:50 for me to take my sister to track conditioning, I am looking for a fight. Usually it ends with Nora and me bickering about something insignificant until our parents tell us to cut it out. 

Going to bed earlier might help a little bit, but in reality, I know that no matter how early I go to bed, if I have to wake up before seven, I will be grouchy and unpleasant. 

My morning self is unproductive and unmotivated. I do the bare minimum on an average day: slip into my uniform, brush my teeth, and put on some earrings. Occasionally I’ll braid my hair, but that’s pushing it.

On a regular day, I am not as productive in my first block as I could be with an extra hour of sleep. I feel tired and not fully awake until my second block. 

Late start days, however, are a different story. On Wednesdays when I get to sleep in that extra hour, I wake up in a much better mood. I am happier and therefore nicer to my family in the mornings. I am also more productive in my first block of the day due to my extra hour of sleep. 

Overall, my morning self is unmotivated and unproductive. I believe that an extra hour of sleep can make a big difference in someone’s day and turn them into a much happier person.