Hit That Snooze Button by Marissa

Hit That Snooze Button by Marissa - February 2026 Scholarship Essay

I used to jump out of bed at the first ring of my alarm. Regardless of whether I was mentally ready to get the day going, one ring and I was up and moving. As I moved through the steps of my morning routine, my mind would eventually catch up with my body. On the third day of school this year, for the first time ever, I hit the snooze button. I lay in bed slowly waking up, thinking about my classes, predicting the day’s weather pattern, mentally picking my outfit, and deciding on my coffee mix-ins.

Initially I felt guilty and jolted out of bed rushing to catch up. Eventually the guilt faded. I welcome the second alarm as my true time to start my day. I’ve realized that snoozing is not harmless. That quiet pause has reshaped my mornings. Those few extra minutes have become a buffer to slowly transition from rest to responsibility, giving me time to prepare for the day that demands my attention. I realize that the day doesn’t always have to begin with urgency to be a productive day. It’s kindness to give myself a moment to pause and ease into the day with clarity instead of catapulting forward on autopilot.