Variety Editor Janie Ripps’ “This I Believe” graphic is shown above. Throughout her time in high school, Ripps has found that being prepared for each day begins with her daily morning routine. “In a world that was always changing, I had found an element of stability. In the mornings, I knew that facing reality would be a little more bearable if I felt clean and put together. I now had control. My little routine soon turned into a healthy habit.” Graphic by Anna Shaikun
Variety Editor Janie Ripps shares her belief that starting the day off confident and physically ready reflects mentally and inspires productivity.
Hi, I’m Janie Ripps, a junior and the Variety Editor for the ODYSSEY Media Group at Clarke Central High School. This is “This I Believe.” These are essays that discuss the origin, importance, and rationale behind people’s personal belief systems. Students will share their personal essays discussing how these beliefs affect their everyday lives, times they may have been challenged, and how they may impact the lives of those around them. This is “This I Believe.”
When I wake up in the morning, I always follow a specific routine.
When my alarm goes off, I make a beeline to the bathroom, brush my teeth, wash my face and then I pick out my outfit. Following my outfit, I’ll accessorize. It’s simple, but fulfilling.
For as long as I can remember, my morning routine has been a highlight of my day. It’s thirty minutes that I can devote to myself. It reminds me that I am fresh, and I have control over how my day begins.
This habit began in August of 2021, when I started my freshman year at Clarke Central High School. During eighth grade, a year that was almost fully virtual, I was living in sweatpants and pajamas. I couldn’t leave the house, and had no commitments besides my daily obligation to Zoom school.
When my freshman year started, I didn’t give myself this time to get ready consciously, but I was tired of sweatpants and the unproductivity that I had grown to associate with them. I would pick out a pair of jeans and a cute top that I felt my best in, and pair it with my favorite gold hoops and necklace.
In a world that was always changing, I found an element of stability. In the mornings, I knew that facing reality would be a little more bearable if I felt clean and put together. I now had control. My little routine soon turned into a healthy habit.
Almost two years later, even though I have evolved and grown as a person, I still feel my best when I get ready to face the day and feel confident in how I present myself to my peers.
This habit became another form of “fake it until you make it” for me. On the days when getting out of bed is a little harder, or I have an important math test, I’ll take my time in the mornings. I’ll wear my favorite jewelry and put on a pair of jeans and a cute sweater to remind myself that I have control.
There are some things in life I will never have control over. The weather may be gloomy on a day I prayed for sun, or I may struggle with the actions of those around me. But I have learned how much a mindset can change an outcome through daily ritual.
Feeling my best in the mornings is not just a way to start off my day, but a way to remind myself that I have control. I have control over this one little thing.
