“Where there’s a will, there’s a way” – Donkey from “Shrek”
I take these words a little too literally regarding my weekend homework management. Every Monday, I imagine that I will spread out my workflow over the week and have a free weekend — that never happens. The next idea is to start it all Saturday morning and get it done as soon as possible, but then reality sets in Sunday night after hardcore procrastination. At times, exploring the depths of YouTube and staring at blank walls really are more interesting than organic chemistry.
This cycle eventually stretched into a years-long effort, and caffeine began to lose its magic. At this point in the school year, I surely cannot change my habits. But as a fellow perpetually sleep-deprived undergraduate, I can share with you the few spots on campus that I frequently visit when I need to recharge and catch some z’s in the middle of the day.
Here are some of the best napping spots on campus:
- Honors College, Cathedral of Learning
“Nothing worth having comes easy.” I am full of cliches, but somehow, they all apply to naps.
It is not easy to get to the 36th floor. Even with elevators, it can take up to seven minutes to make it up, but the comfort and decadence of the Honors College’s plush chairs and marble banisters makes it worth it. You can fall asleep admiring the wonderful view and have the best dreams, or if the highest symbol of academic performance in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences inspires you, maybe you can get to work.
- Ground Floor, Wesley W. Posvar Hall
Escape the hustle and bustle by avoiding the temptation of bagels and heading to the floor below Einstein’s. Outside the lecture halls and next to the College of General Studies office lies a relaxation area where academic sufferers sprawl their legs out and hit the books. If you manage to find a spot there, take it and never let go. Unlike Rose in “Titanic,” really, don’t let it go. Point being, this is a prime spot for lower campus napping.
- O’Hara Student Center
Because virtually no one goes to O’Hara, it’s the perfect place to nap — spots and silence are guaranteed. The couches there are extremely comfortable with the optimum amount of fluff for that cloud-like feel paired with the kind of firmness that ushers you back into reality. Fun fact: the bathrooms on the first floor are also some of the best on campus.
- Petersen Events Center Lawn
If you live up the hill or are the adventurous, mountain climbing type, this spot might be a gem for you. It’s much more appropriate during spring or summertime but it still makes a fun place for snow angels in the winter, although snowy naps make hypothermia an imminent possibility. During the summer, you can relax in the sun and soak in that vitamin D. While the other unenlightened students prefer to hang at the Cathedral Lawn or Schenley Plaza, you’ll have plenty of room to snuggle up at the Pete. You can get the sun, the breeze and one hell of an Instagram post here.
- Market Central
Food plus naps: need I say more? If you’ve outgrown Market swipes and now subsist on whatever’s in stock at Rite Aid, befriend a first-year and ask them to sign you in.
Sure, some of these suggestions are kind of shady, but the key to napping on campus is not caring what anyone thinks. The highly charismatic American actor, producer, writer, singer, director and motivator Shia LaBeouf repeatedly says, echoing the Nike slogan, “Just do it,” and that is my mantra for napping anywhere, anytime.