Preparation

            In today's fast paced world, it is almost impossible to have a successful day without any order or preparation. For any given regular day (a day not including major events or holidays such as weddings or Thanksgiving) preparing far in advance is time consuming. One can encounter events in days prior that can throw the prepared schedule completely off track. That is why the start of this preparation seems only logical at the start of the day for which it is intended. The morning ritual I go through seems to have made my days run more smoothly than the people I have talked to that just rush in the morning with little or no planning of what to do during the day. My ritual prepares my body and mind to take on the day. The practice incorporates thought gathering and time management with the necessities of personal hygiene that make me feel presentable for the day's interactions.
             My ritual of waking up begins right when the loud alarm buzzer goes off. I quickly shut it off and lie in bed. I lie there staring at the ceiling counting down from sixty. During this time is when many important thoughts are gathered. I think of what materials I need to bring for the classes I have coming up, and the homework that is due for the week that I have yet to complete. I choose which subject I need to study for after dinner, and what it is I do not understand in it. Thirty seconds. Here I think about personal issues. I list out who to call to go to dinner and what I can possibly do for fun at night. Ten seconds. The last ten seconds are always reserved for a special cause. I think of someone important in my life and say a quick prayer for his or her happiness. Zero; time is up and I am out of bed gathering my bathroom supplies.
             In the bathroom I start first with brushing my teeth. I always do two brushes and rinses with one squirt of toothpaste just in case I did not get all the spots. Then I use a rinse of Listerine before heading to the shower.