How to Find the PERFECT Morning Routine for College Students (Today!)

I know, everyone always bangs on about morning routines and then touts some ridiculous 5am morning routine that is in no way relatable, practical, or sustainable. I’m going to teach you how to find the perfect morning routine for college students (and grad students too!) that will help you become a more successful student. I’ll also go through my PhD morning routine to give you some morning routine ideas.

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This article is all about finding the perfect morning routine for college students, master’s students, and PhD students to help you become the most successful student possible.

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The Best Morning Routine for College Students

Now let’s start by defining what the best morning routine for college students is. The answer is—it depends! Everyone needs to figure out what works for them. For some people, that might be waking up at 5am, but others might need to sleep much later! That being said, there are some elements that all of the best morning routines for college students have in common:

1. The perfect morning routine for college students includes some ‘you’ time.

Perhaps one of the most important elements of a good morning routine for college students is scheduling in some time that’s just for you. This may take the form of things like watching YouTube videos, meditating, reading, or writing.

2. The best morning routine for college students gives you enough time before any commitments that you’re not rushed.

Whenever I have a rushed morning, I always feel more anxious and on edge for the rest of the day. As hard as it is to actually wake up sometimes, I definitely feel better when I give myself an extra 15 minutes before I actually have to get up, get ready, or do anything to relax and prepare myself for the day.

3. The perfect morning routine for college students includes elements of self-care.

Self-care is so important and doing something specific for yourself really sets the tone for the day. Check out this article for some self-care ideas.

4. The ideal morning routine for college students includes some sort of planning for the day ahead.

I find that first thinking about my plan for the day, then writing it out in a formal to-do list makes me feel more on top of things and ready to take on the day.

If you’re interested in how I plan out my days and weeks, check out this article.

I also have a free printable weekly planner to help you plan out your own days, which you can download here.

5. The best morning routine for college students includes water and something else that’s good for your health!

I know this sounds a bit cliché but DRINKING WATER IS SO IMPORTANT. I’m always so dehydrated when I wake up. My morning routine also starts with coffee too (which is good for you in moderation, as we know!) which I make in my fancy Whittard infusion mug. Other healthy things you can do include eating a healthy breakfast, taking any prescribed medicines and vitamins, stretching, exercising, etc.!

How to Find the Perfect Morning Routine for College Students

1. Take stock of your current morning routine.

Before you start trying to find the perfect morning routine, take stock of what you actually already do in the mornings. Pay attention over the next few days and maybe even write it out.

2. Take time to think about what makes you happiest.

This one is useful for your life in general. Take time to brain dump on paper all of the things that make you happiest.

3. List out all of the non-negotiable parts of your morning routine (like brushing your teeth, etc.).

This is pretty self-explanatory, but make sure you include EVERYTHING (including any alarm snoozes!)!

4. Try new things! Experiment! Here are some perfect morning routine ideas:

• Make a gratitude list.
• Exercise or go for a walk.
• Stretch.
• Meditate.
• Drink some fancy tea.
• Write morning pages.
• Read a chapter of a book.
• Listen to your favourite podcast.
• Make the bed.
• Dance around your room.

5. Test it out for a few days and make adjustments as necessary.

Add in a few elements at a time and see how you are enjoying your morning routine. Take out and add in specific elements as you see fit! Be patient—it takes time to find the perfect morning routine for you!

My PhD Morning Routine

1. Wake up. The time depends, though we generally wake up between 7:30 and 8:30 depending on what we have on that day. Though, sometimes I do sleep in a bit!

2. Cuddle with my boyfriend.

3. Check my email, texts, social media, and the news.

4. Realistically, spend a little more time cuddling.

5. Get water and start brewing my coffee. If I’m not going to the gym, put the oven on for breakfast.

6. Make the bed.

7. Brush my teeth, put my contacts in, and get dressed.

8. Next, I either go to the gym or finish making breakfast. We’ve been making hash brown and vegan sausage sandwiches for breakfast, sometimes with chickpea flour ‘scrambled eggs’ as well. It may not be the absolute healthiest, but it’s tasty and keeps me full for a long time (which is rare!).

9. If I’ve gone to the gym, I take a quick shower while we make breakfast. Otherwise (or after that!), I plan out my day.

10. Then, my morning routine is officially over and I get to work!

I hope this article helped you find the perfect morning routine for yourself as a college student (or professional!). Let me know what your morning routine is like in the comments below!