It's simple: wake up earlier

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My favorite definition of simple is: early mornings, sunshine, a great cup of coffee and "quiet." During my summers, this is how I wake up every single day, and I absolutely love it.
Then I get to school and it is like, "go, go, go" with zero personal time.
As college students, we already have a lack of sleep due to the high demand of everything else going on, so it might seem crazy to wake up even earlier than completely necessary. However, this year, I have made it my goal to start every morning with my own personal quiet time and a cup of coffee. The difference that this step makes in my day is immeasurable.
How can some quiet time with myself make such a change in my day? The answer is simple: I start my day off right.
If I don't make it a priority to wake up 20 minutes earlier to have my peace and quiet, then I will most likely find myself rolling out of bed late, scrambling to get my stuff together and then sprinting to class - my day already beginning with stress.
After about two days of forcing myself to get up and get ready, gather myself before the chaos hits, it became essential and enjoyable. I spend this time listening to quiet music and reading the Bible. I am instantly ready for whatever the day is going to bring. It is a sure guarantee of starting my day off on the right foot, versus the alternative.
I wish that I could convince everyone that has a stressful and hectic life to give this a try. It sounds too simple to be that great, but it really is rewarding. When you start your day off in the right place, it is more likely to end in a better place as well.
A friend of mine once told me, "If it has to be done, it must be done first," and I couldn't agree more. Once I get into the craziness of my days, there is almost zero opportunity to just sit down and think for a few minutes, uninterrupted. And everyone needs a little "me time."
So in order to get that done, you might as well get that done bright and early before the madness of everything else takes full swing and you lose your opportunity to enjoy the simple things.
So if I could persuade you to give yourself an easy gift, set your alarm 20 to 30 minutes early tomorrow, sit down with your favorite book and a cup of coffee.
Or maybe take the time to journal and allow yourself the time to mentally prepare for the day. Those minutes are guaranteed to be much more rewarding than snoozing a bunch of times only to end up scrambling to class. So do yourself a favor, grab a cup of coffee and relax.

- Brinker is a sophomore from Stevensville, Minn., with an undecided major.