8 a.m. isn’t all that bad

Every Tuesday and Thursday last semester I switched off my blaring alarm at 6:30 a.m., and I groggily heaved myself out of bed.

I forced down some breakfast I really wasn’t hungry for, and I made myself look presentable before I hurried to catch the 7:24 a.m. bus to campus.

That’s right. I was enrolled in a dreaded 8 a.m. course.

But before you pity me, I’d like to come clean about a little something. I loved it. Well, maybe not love, but I certainly did enjoy taking a class that started at 8 a.m. I will admit that at times it was a bit difficult to persuade myself to be completely alert when I had stayed up considerably past midnight the evening before, but the lack of sleep aside, I believe rising early provided me with some valuable benefits.

A 2008 University of Texas study revealed that college students who were more likely to describe themselves as “morning people” scored nearly a full point higher on their GPAs than the students who admitted to being “night owls.” Although I don’t think that rising early was the primary reason for my exceptional academic performance last semester, it certainly was easier to pay attention in my early classes. I simply felt less distracted. After all, no one else is up to text at 8 a.m.

Furthermore, according to Forbes, slipping into bed earlier and consequently waking up earlier prompts your body to sync more efficiently with the earth’s circadian rhythms, offering a more beneficial and restorative night’s sleep.

Of course, I could only enjoy this benefit and wake up feeling satisfied and rested if I didn’t stay up to an ungodly hour doing homework the previous night.

Perhaps most importantly, Harvard University biologist Christopher Randler uncovered in his 2010 study that individuals who awakened earlier were more proactive. Isn’t being proactive what attending college is all about? Yes, there is the obvious requirement of taking academic classes, but during your four years here in Bloomington, you should also strive for personal growth. You should progressively achieve more and more goals, and you should keep your motivation and drive high.

So, I’m sure I haven’t convinced you to switch your schedule of classes beginning at noon for those that require you to be out of bed before 7 a.m. But I hope if you’re stuck in a course that does begin at 8 a.m., you take a look at the silver lining, and realize, “Hey, maybe this isn’t so bad.”

­— kfasone@indiana.edu