How to be a Morning Person

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This past year I have found myself slowly becoming more and more of a morning person, and surprisingly I love it. Waking up a little bit earlier gives you some extra time to be productive and makes you feel more awake by the time you need to be at school or work. Although getting out of bed when it's still dark out is not completely appealing, there are lots of benefits to becoming a morning person. Here are a few things that I have been doing to get up a little bit earlier. 

get to bed earlier// Freshman and sophomore year I stayed up way to late during the week doing homework and studying. I finally have my afternoon routine down to a science and have not gone to bed after 11 on a school night all year. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule will help you be more awake in the morning.

get up 30 min earlier// I used to get up at 7:00 every morning to be at school by 8:00 and this year I wake up at 6:30 Monday-Friday. I have found that I like to get to school on the earlier side as I can go to the library and finish up homework or fit in a little extra studying. Also, by the time 8:00 rolls around and class starts I have been up for an hour and a half and am significantly more awake. 

don't hit snooze// I think that I am in the minority here, but I get out of bed the second my alarm goes off and think that it really helps you get ready for the day. If you are constantly hitting snooze, try to eliminate one per day or week until you can finally get up the first time! 

lay out an outfit the night before// I have been doing this for most of my life and it is seriously a game changer in the morning. Waking up can be so much more relaxing and getting ready will not take nearly as long. 

morning workouts// Sign up for an early mooring workout class, or find the motivation to go on an early mooring run once a week. Starting your day with a workout will wake you up and give you the rest of the day to be productive! 

don't sleep too much on the weekends// I try to wake up no later than 9 on the weekends. If you are waking up super late on the weekends your sleeping schedule will get all messed up and waking up on monday will not be easy.

eat breakfast// I am a sting believer that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and have zero idea how people skip it entirely. You do not need to whip up some gourmet meal every morning but just having some fruit and yogurt or a bagel will give you some energy to kick start the day! 

drink coffee or tea// If you really are not a morning person and can't wake up, give yourself a little caffeine to kickstart the day. 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

How to Survive a Long Flight and Airport Dilemma

On my way to California, my flight was two hours delayed in Boston and we missed our connector in San Francisco. Long story short we had to drive seven hours to the mountain after flying across the country because there were no more flights. We spent over 20 hours traveling, so I decided to write about how to deal with all the issues that come with flying.

1. Download a Movie (or two) the Night Before
Movies are a great way to make the flight go by faster, especially if it is a long one. It is very important to download the movie the night before because some times it can be painfully slow and you want it to be all ready to go when you are on the plane. If you have an iPad I highly suggest watching the movies on that, the battery life is amazing! (I watched a movie and it only used up 4%)

2. Pack Lots of Food
This is pretty self explanatory, you will be so thankful that you packed snacks because there are not a ton of options on the plane! My favorite things to pack are pretzel crisps, an apple and something sweet (a candy bar or cookie).

3. Hydrate 
I don't know why, but flying always makes me so thirsty, dehydrated and tired. Once you get past security by a bottle of water, or bring an empty water bottle with you and fill it up at a water fountain. On most flights they offer drinks, take advantage of that and get something other thank water, I love getting a Diet Coke! Staying hydrated will make your experience so much more pleasant and you will not feel as drained by the end of the day.

4. Pack Chap Stick 
I always find myself using so much Chap Stick on the plane because my lips gets so dry. Chap Stick is something that can easily be forgotten, but it is such a necessity. If your destination is hot the sun can dry out your lips and if you are traveling somewhere cold the dry air and wind will also dry out your lips, having Chap Stick will be so nice!

5. Bring a Head Rest Pillow 
I'm actually not sure what the exact name of these pillows are but they are awesome! Try to get some sleep on the plane, you will feel rejuvenated and time will pass quickly. I know sleeping on the plane can be awkward and uncomfortable, plug in you head phones and listen to some calm music and try to fall asleep or at least try to relax.

6. Try to Stay Calm and Use the Waiting Time to Your Advantage 
At the moment when you realize you are going to miss your flight or you flight was canceled it is hard not to panic, just try to stay calm. Dilemma at the airport happens all the time, planes have mechanical issues, weather causes delays, 99% of the time everything will work out (it might just take more time than you expected). When you are stuck in the airport use the time to your advantage, I cannot stress this enough! Currently I am sitting in San Francisco for a four hour layover, I have used the time to write this blog post and a few others to post when I am busy. Waiting is such a pain, sometimes its what you have to do to have an awesome trip. In the long run all the issues will not be what you remember, but the amazing memories you made on vacation!

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea 

How to Survive a Long Flight and Airport Dilemma by preppybythesea on Polyvore

Preppy by the TEA loves mugs!

There is nothing I love more than being cozy on a cold winter morning and having a hot cup of coffee or tea! Recently I have become obsessed with mugs, they are so cute and add a little something to your basic morning routine! Here are a few that I have my eye on!



1. Anthropologie | 2. C. Wonder | 3. Waechtersbach (On Zappos) | 4. Sur La Table | 5. Tiffany & Co. (you could say I'm a little obsessed with this one!) | 6. Kate Spade | 7. Barnes and Noble | 8. Sur La Table | 9. C. Wonder | 10. www.themonogrammerchant.com |

Mugs are so adorable and come in so many shapes and patterns, they are inexpensive and make great gifts (maybe even fill them with some extra goodies!) Happy Friday! 

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea

Preppy by the TEA loves mugs! by preppybythesea featuring colorful coffee mugs