Early bird
By Annie McMullen
I once posted on Fizz that I wished St. Olaf offered classes earlier than 8 a.m. — and immediately got downvoted into oblivion. While I realize that take may have been a bit extreme, I do stand by the fact that being productive first thing in the morning is the way to go.
A lot of people are used to a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. work schedule, but I’ve operated on a 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. sleep schedule since high school, and I truly can’t recommend it enough. I wake up just in time to go on a walk or run before it gets bright and hot out, grab some breakfast before heading to my morning classes, and am left with the afternoon to myself. Admittedly, these open afternoons often just consist of studying in the library, but I find that infinitely better than having to take classes in the afternoons and push my study sessions later into the night. I operate similarly in the summer, generally working from around 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and let me tell you, it’s absolutely amazing to have those summer evenings free. I really do hope that my future career’s schedule allows me to carry on with my early morning endeavors — and you should, too!
Being an early bird is obviously the correct choice no matter what stage of life you’re in, but it’s an especially great mindset to get into as a St. Olaf student. You’ll be able to eat the delicious breakfast-exclusive melon in Stav every day and avoid all the after-class Stav lines after classes get out. Furthermore, doing your laundry first thing in the morning almost always prevents the annoyance that ensues when others forget to take their clothes out of the machines. And honestly, nothing feels better than having been so productive early on that you can go to bed early, too, knowing that everything you need to have accomplished has been done.
Night owl
Louise Skokan
I am a night owl; I love playing video games when the sun sets, I work on school work and art projects while everyone else sleeps, and I’ll occasionally take a late night walk when everything quiets down. Just like the saying goes, “the night is still young;” there’s no more perfect time to spend with others or with yourself. Night is when the day soon becomes still and quiet, yet also when the most activities happen; a beautiful bonfire with friends and family, watching the stars and meteors soar across the night sky, and exploring a once busy and bustling city that’s now given way to the still and softer night life.
The night is when everything sleeps, and the space becomes yours to use however you like. While one has to be cautious about the noise levels if one lives with a roommate or in a dorm; you can go anywhere else — perhaps to get something to eat. Something easy and something cheap, a treat for one’s self during the stillness of the night after a stressful day.
It’s surreal when everything goes quiet after a stressful day of following a rigid schedule. But when the sun sets and the temperature cools down, you can take time for yourself and do whatever you want. No one is going to bother you when you have homework to do: a reading to complete, an assignment to complete, a project to finish, anything. It’s just you, the lamp providing you light, and the sound of an interesting video to keep you awake.
Then when you finally complete the assignment, you can sleep peacefully knowing that you’ll have a great night’s rest because of the amount of work you put in to get something done.
