Back to school morning routine

It’s back to school, and a perfect way to prepare for your school days is a morning routine. The morning is an essential time to get ready for school as a pupil and can set a tone for the rest of your day. These easy-to-follow morning routine ideas will get your mood lifted, get organised and prepare for your day. They are usually suitable for high school scholars as they typically don’t require parental guidance.

Things to do the night before

I always say that a good morning routine starts the night before. This is the time to prepare for the morning so you know what to do, and aren’t wasting time. Here are 5 things to prepare for the night before:

Homework: Check that you have completed your homework. This ensures that you not rushing to get it done in the morning. A tip to keep as well is questions to ask your teacher. It happens that during completing your homework, you didn’t understand something and may need help. Write down questions for your teacher on what you need clarity on, so you can go through it together in class.

Uniform/ Outfit of The Day: Prepare your uniform or outfit of the day the night before so you don’t need to be thinking of what to wear. This saves a lot of time. Iron your uniform or clothes (depending on what you wear at your school) and polish your school shoes.

Pack your sports clothes or afternoon activity clothes. This saves you from getting them as you are prepared.

Lunch. Think about what you going to have for lunch the night before, so when morning comes you know what you are preparing. If you have a parent/guardian/ helper that does your lunch, let them know beforehand. If you prefer to do your lunch at night, pop it in the fridge.

Letters. Usually, at school, they send something for parents to sign and to be sent back to school the tomorrow morning. Remember to show your parents this so in the morning it’s not a rush when you do it.

Back to school morning routine:

Gratitude List

A gratitude list is a compilation of things that you feel grateful for. It allows us to look at the positive things we have in our lives and can ultimately have an effect on our mood, improving our mental health, and perspective on life, and a good start to our day. Here is a list to start with and a few things to keep in mind. You may add to this list when making your own.

  • I am grateful I was protected and safe throughout the night and was able to wake up this morning
  • I am grateful for this beautiful day
  • I am grateful to be blessed with another day to achieve my goals and dreams and spend time with family and friends
  • I am grateful for the education I’m receiving and for going to school
  • I’m grateful for my family and friends
  • I am grateful for the food I’m going to eat and the clothes I’m going to wear

Drink water first thing in the morning

In the morning, our bodies are usually dehydrated because we have slept for about 7-8 hours. The best choice to make is to drink water first thing in the morning. As a student, this practice has many benefits. It can boost your mental performance, which is vital for school. To make things easier for you, keep a water bottle on your bedside table to make it accessible and visible in the morning so that it’s the first thing you wake up to.

You can pretty much get water bottles anywhere, but here is a list of stores I liked that had cute, aesthetically pleasing, yet still functional and practical water bottles: 

Cotton on:

  • Size: can hold up to 1L of water.
  • Price: Selected bottles are currently on sale for R100. Non-sale bottles range from R200 –R400
  • BPA free
  • Design: cute, colorful designs to choose from. The bottle has a straw sip top that is also easy to carry around classes.

Superbalist:

Superbalist has a wide array of bottles to suit your preference from steel water bottles, to sport water bottles and even reusable water bottles we have all the right water bottles to ensure that you keep up with your body’s daily water requirements.

Takealot:

  • Size: 700ml – 2L water bottles
  • Price: water bottles start from R68+
  • BPA free
  • Design: There are different brands to choose from with its unique design. Designs arranged from stainless steel bottles to bottles that have motivational tracks

Skincare

Skincare is a lifelong commitment. The earlier you start the better. This is why it’s an integrated part of your morning routine as you get ready for school. Have been a teen myself, and our skin appearance can affect our confidence. Hormonal changes can cause acne. The more we are knowledgeable about the proper ways to take care of our skin, the more confident we will be.

I recently read an article called The 15 best skincare products for teens, according to experts by Glamour. I think every teen should read this article if you are interested in taking care of your skin.

I wanted to include this part of the routine as the essentials of skincare during your teen years. Skincare doesn’t need to be complicated. It should be personalised and adapted according to your skin needs. However, it’s best to keep your skincare routine simple and stick to the essentials.

Skincare essentials:

  • Cleanser. Apt for a gentle cleanser that is suitable for your skin type.
  • Moisturiser. Choose a moisturiser that provides hydration without clogging any pores.
  • Sunscreen. It is very important to protect your skin from the sun. Apply sunscreen daily every morning, even on cloudy days.
  • Spot treatment. This is a perfect product for someone who has breakouts.

NB: Please contact a dermatologist and do your research. I am not a professional, just someone who is passionate about skincare and has done their own reading, and research and wants to share.

Makeup

You don’t need a full face of makeup when going to school. I assume the school doesn’t allow it even. If you don’t put on makeup when going to school, it’s understandable. But if you prefer to do so, keep it simple, subtle and quick. Back-to-school makeup looks are meant to be quick and easy to achieve.

I’ve put together a school makeup kit to achieve the perfect back-to-school makeup look.

  • Concealer
  • Brow gel
  • Mascara
  • Highlighter
  • Blush
  • Powder
  • Gloss
  • Brushes and sponges
  • Makeup bag
  • Mist/setting spray

Eat a healthy breakfast

Give your body the important nutrients to start the day feeling energized and nourished this morning by preparing breakfast. As a scholar, eating breakfast in learning and school performance.

Try these quick, simple, easy and healthy breakfasts. 

  • Boiled eggs with whole wheat bread
  • Bagel with cream cheese or avocado
  • Greek yoghurt with berries and granola
  • Oats with peanut butter, banana and chia seeds
  • Berry protein smoothie

Lunch ideas for school

Last but not least on this morning’s agenda is prepping lunch. Here are 5 lunch ideas you may prep for school this morning.

Idea 1:

  • Sandwich
  • Musli bar
  • Fruit – naartjie and banana
  • Greek yoghurt

Idea 2

  • Homemade chicken burger
  • Apple with peanut butter
  • Popcorn

Idea 3

  • Chicken wrap
  • Lightly salted chips
  • Blueberry muffin
  • Handful of cut strawberries

Idea 4

  • Ham and cheese quesadilla cut into quarters
  • Grapes
  • Greek yoghurt
  • Nut mix

Idea 5

  • Mini pizzas
  • Handful of blueberries
  • Chocolate milk