How to Survive 8 AM Classes (And Get Sh*t Done)

Should You Take Morning Classes in College? 

In short, no, 8 AMs are not really that bad - but that's coming from a guy with a go-getter mentality that gets up early in the first place. 

If you ask someone who likes to party until the sun comes up, morning classes suck. In college, I heard a ton of people complain about their 8 AMs, but it seems that's because those people weren't go-getters. 

My productive friends in college on the other hand - myself included - preferred to knock out classes early in the morning, so we could reserve the rest of our days for studying, work, fitness and socializing. 

I'd wake up early, read, meditate, eat breakfast, workout, study and work online, all before classes even began. This way, I knock out my most important tasks first thing in the morning, and enjoy the rest of your afternoon in relaxation mode. 

Additionally, since most people dread 8 AM classes and choose classes later in the day, they tend to fill up quickly.

Conversely, morning classes typically remain open, giving you the freedom to choose which professor you want (which is important - your professor will make or break the class.) 

However, I will say I prefer 11 AM classes rather than 8 AM classes. This way, you can wake up early (between 6 - 8 AM) and get stuff done before class. 

8 AM classes can be problematic as well because most college kids wake up early with that clunky, groggy feeling (you know what I mean).

When you go to class feeling foggy, you won't soak up much info. 11 AM classes give you enough time to get up (and wake up) before class feeling refreshed and ready to learn. 

What's the bottom line here? 

Ideally, I'd recommend taking classes a bit later than 8 AM so you can have some extra time to work in the morning, whether that's studying, a job, or working out.

But if you have no option and 8 AMs are all that you have available, it's not the end of the world, especially if you know how to prepare for an 8 AM class. 

Contrary to popular belief, getting blackout drunk at the bars on a Thursday night isn't the best way to prepare for your Friday 8 AM.

And no, thirsty Thursday is not an excuse. 

Assuming you're not getting hammered the night before your 8 AM, there are a few things you can do to prepare for an 8 AM. 

First and foremost, there is no replacement for adequate sleep every night. The idea of 'catching up on your sleep' is a myth.

You can't go a week with an hour of sleep per night and then catch up on your sleep with twelve hours at once. 

Sleep is cumulative, and getting the right amount of sleep is one of the best things you can do for your body, and your life. 

Everyone needs a different amount of sleep - I like to get nine hours, but most people in college can get by with 7-8 hours of sleep.

That means you should go to bed by midnight if you have an 8 AM class, and want any time to get ready beforehand without having to sprint to class. 

Going to bed early can be difficult though, especially when you have an iPhone and an Xbox in your room. They keep you plugged in and addicted, which can become a problem late at night. 

I recommend turning off electronics at a certain time (maybe an hour before you want to go to bed) and reading a book.

Your screens keep you awake, not only because they're addicting and hard to put down, but also because the blue light affects your sleep pattern. 

Turning off your phone and reading instead will not only make you smarter but will also make you tired. 

It's also important to make sure your work is done the day before it's due, so you're not staying up all night and going to class like a zombie, or getting up super early and cramming before class. 

I used to read Spark Notes on the way to my English class every morning - not a great idea. 

Lastly, I always liked to leave my backpack and clothes laid out the night before, so I can grab my stuff and go when I wake up, without having to waste time in the morning. 

When you're first waking up and feeling groggy, getting ready for class is the last thing you want to do. This way, you can grab your stuff and go. 

On that note, waking up and feeling groggy/tired sucks. That's why learning how to wake up early without hating your life is incredibly important. 

That's also why we spent years researching the best way to wake up early and get sh*t done, and came up with EarlyBird. 

Waking up early for an 8 AM class - and just waking up early in general - is no easy feat.

Rising early in the morning leads to higher productivity, which is why many go-getters, successful college students and entrepreneurs master their morning. 

But if you're not a morning person, sticking to an early morning routine is hard. 

Here's why: 

First of all, you wake up severely dehydrated. Believe it or not, you lose roughly one pound of weight overnight as water evaporates.

Trying to wake up dehydrated is like trying to jump start a car that's been sitting out in the freezing cold all night. It's not a great idea. 

Hydrating yourself first thing in the morning is a great way to feel refreshed and give your body the nutrients it needs to get going properly. 

Additionally, when you first wake up, your body is going from sleep mode to awake mode.

When you're sleeping, your body shuts down and your muscles stop working. Waking up and trying to jump into action without giving your body the energy it needs is a great way to feel like crap. 

Lastly, your morning mood has been proven to affect the rest of your day. Waking up with a bad mood is almost guaranteed to make you irritable later in the day, setting you up for failure off the bat. 

Assuming you're getting proper sleep, however, there is a way to jump start your morning and fix all of these problems at once. 

Most people recommend drinking a glass of water when you first wake up to hydrate yourself, which is a great idea - but it doesn't fix the other issues that I mentioned.

Water doesn't give you fast-acting, long-lasting energy or a mood enhancement. 

Instead, it's better to make a morning cocktail with ingredients that will fix all three of those issues.

Enter EarlyBird.

EarlyBird is the product of years of research and testing.

It has everything you need to jumpstart your morning so you can finally wake up early and get sh*t done. 

It mixes with water for hydration and has electrolytes which hydrate you even faster.

It also makes use of a unique blend of green coffee bean extract, a patented antioxidant blend of over 25 fruits and veggie extracts, L-theanine, and GABA.

This blend can quickly eliminate the impulse to hit snooze and fills your morning with energy (without the crash).

If you want to check out EarlyBird and finally wake up early feeling good and ready to take on the day, check it out here.