When every minute counts

*BEEP BEEP BEEP*

*Snooze*

*BEEP BEEP BEEP*

*Snooze*

We all have mornings when we are jostled into consciousness at the very last minute (by an angel or someone in your house) only to realise that we have an important class/meeting to catch and we have not a second to waste. So do you take time to make yourself look more human or show up at your destination looking like a zombie? What if you have a few life-saving-morning-hacks to save both your academic/job commitments and your image?

LADIES

We have days we look flawless and days with barely any sleep or time to look flawless. So how do we make sure we can still blow the world's minds away when we're best friends with the snooze button?

1. Shower or no shower?

If you know you're a late riser, then the best option is to shower before you hit your bed. If you haven't showered the night before and you don't have time to shower in the morning, fear not: baby powder to the rescue. Liberally sprinkle baby powder over the roots of your hair to fight the early morning greasiness. You can also use dry shampoo if you have any, they work like miracles! "Dry shampoos are my go to solution for hectic mornings, they're a lifesaver!" comments Rahnuma, a sophomore from IBA, DU.

2. Hairdo or no hairdo?

Hours on intricate braid styles or even trying to figure out which hairstyle makes your hair look less greasy – these are definitely not the best ways to race against time during those hectic mornings. Easiest hairdo is probably the top bun or a simple ponytail. If your bangs feel damp and greasy, pull back the rest of your hair and wash your bangs in the sink if you think dry shampoo and baby powder won't be enough. You can even add a fancy bow on your hair to top it up a notch and make people think that you must have spent hours styling your look.

3. Hair dryer holder

When you're in a hurry and you have to be stuck blowing your hair dry for over fifteen minutes, you wish someone would carry the machine behind your head while you got all those other stuff done, right? Well, get your hands on this little beauty and you can multitask while you dry your hair. Place your machine on the table top and touch up on your makeup or even brush your teeth while your hair is blown dry.

4. Red lipstick

When you prioritise sleep over anything else and you don't have time for that detailed touch up, a red lipstick is your best friend. A color that goes with almost any dress, this piece adds just enough color to make your face look less morbid. "Shades of red lipsticks really help you look formal yet casual at the same time. You can pull it off however you want to!" says Ishmam Shafi, a student who has to start off at least two hours prior to her class schedules to travel to the University of Dhaka since she lives in Uttara. "Best part is that you can put it on while you're on your way or even when you're in the lift!"

5. Embrace the nudes

When matching colors seem to absorb way too much time – go with neutral colors. Shades of brown, silver and gold are usually neutrals that go with everything. Be it the color of your lipstick or the color of the dress you're wearing, they'll all fit together in the end if they belong to the neutral shades. "I have to drop off my younger sister to her school in Dhanmondi before I can travel to my class," comments Aurni Tasnim, "so more often than not I pick neutral shades because they're always a safe bet."

GENTLEMEN

Us guys love sleeping just as much as our female counterparts do. But it's not so bad when we're running late since we take half the time to get ready compared to the ladies. Nevertheless, here are a few valuable hacks that work like a charm.

1. Sneaking a few minutes

This is my very own personal hack. If your University/Organisation doesn't follow a strict dress code, you can steal a few minutes by putting on sandals or slip-ons as compared to wearing shoes or sneakers. Although avoid using this over a long period as it may show unwillingness to dress properly. It may also create the impression of being unprofessional.

2. Don't brush. Mouthwash

Properly brushing your teeth can take up to 2 minutes, something you can't afford when every second counts. Tousif Rahman, a student at IBA, DU said 'Brushing takes a lot of time so mouthwash is the way to go. It might be almost irresistible to give up washing your mouth altogether, but you don't want to come off as repulsive to your friends.'

3. Carry a power bank

The last thing you want to do in the morning is charge your phone. But you also can't go a whole day without your phone. Tahmeed Alam Sameen, a senior from BUP, urges everyone to develop a habit of putting phones on charge at night. But in case you forget, make sure you have a Power Bank fully charged as plan B.

4. Stop being choosy

Contemplating which shirt to wear is a luxury you cannot afford. T-shirts are your best friend. They don't require the buttoning or ironing thereby saving crucial time. Another way to speed up the process is to wear whatever's lying around even if you wore that yesterday, because honestly, guys have that freedom without the fear of being criticised. Some people go as far to sleeping in pants they intend to wear the next day and just put on a shirt in the morning.

5. Make the most of your commute

Commuting is itself an adventure when you live in a traffic prone city like Dhaka. Learning to make most out of this idle time can do wonders for you. Shahbaz Amin and Taposh Ghosh, two sophomores from DU have mastered this skill. Shahbaz often skips breakfast but makes sure to pick up fruits and other 'dry' foods to have on his way to class. Taposh uses his phone's front camera to set his hair on the rickshaw. Talk about efficient time management.

The writers are sophomores at the Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka.