We all know that early mornings are deadly. In high school, with multiple tests every week and homework every night (not to mention the long list of other priorities we carry on our backs), sleep is esoteric. So, we must find fuel to keep us awake in our classes. And that fuel, ladies and gentlemen, is a crunchy, crispy, milky companion we know as more than just a friend. Whether as sweet and golden as Cinnamon Toast Crunch or as succulent and colorful as Lucky Charms, cereal never fails to provide the right amount of sugar and joy to jumpstart our day. But simply eating a bowl of cereal with milk isn’t the key to success—it’s about how you eat it. There is only one correct answer. Drum roll please… cereal must go after warm milk.

Yes, I know that this is controversial, but there’s really not much to argue about. Just think about it! It’s early in the morning and it’s freezing cold. The last thing you need is cold milk. That’s like eating ice cream in the middle of a snowstorm! Now, I’m not saying to heat up your milk to 300⁰F and slurp it like a Starbucks macchiato; just warm it for 45 seconds or less. Trust me, once you make this light adjustment to your meal, your days will drastically improve.

As for when and where to pour your milk, it is essential that the milk is poured before the cereal. Pouring milk on top of the cereal would just result in the cereal growing soggy extremely quickly. Additionally, the milk would rapidly soak up all the flavor in the cereal, making it super bland. That’s like having slimy pieces of cotton in your mouth that feel disgustingly fuzzy on your tongue. Gross, right? Well, that’s what happens if you pour your milk on top of your cereal, and I’m pretty sure it’s not even remotely possible to enjoy soggy, flavorless cereal!

Contrarily, if you pour your milk before you pour your cereal, you will be able to thoroughly dig into the meal and enjoy a crunchy breakfast blasting with more than enough flavour to assist you in starting your day. So the next time you wake up groggy on a Monday morning (or any morning, for that matter), remember to pour your cereal on top of slightly warmed milk. It’ll improve your day tenfold.