Naps sometimes have magical powers: they can improve creativity, reduce stress, brighten your mood, and increase alertness. College students desperately need these benefits. Our worlds revolve around homework, work, social lives and student involvement. It’s a tough task balancing mental health and being a college student. Some days we need a small nap to help us make it through the day. There is nothing worse than having a gap between your classes and having three hours to kill. Why not take a nap and get motivated within that three hours? Now there’s always the question, “Where can I nap when I’m stuck on campus all day?” No worries, we’ve done the research, and these are some of the best places for you to sleep on campus.
WILLY T — SECOND FLOOR CHAIRS
There are many spots in William T Young to nap, but nothing can beat the second-floor chairs. They are moveable, squishy, have built-in desks, and are right next to a plug-in. What more could you want from a nap area? It’s not completely quiet, but enough to relax without being disturbed. And we can’t forget when the sun shines perfectly through the big Willy T windows! If you are looking to sit in the library without doing work, this spot is 10/10 for you.
GATTON COLLEGE OF BUSINESS - COUCHES
I have spent many of my days on the Gatton couches, but you have to be fast! Those couches go quick and wait for no one. You have to be brave to sleep on those couches with the amount of foot traffic the area gets in a day. The pros that come with it are getting free couch cushions as pillows and tables to put your feet on. Cons are you have to be able to sleep through loud noises at all times. Headphones can’t save you from the social hotspot that is Gatton.
GATTON STUDENT CENTER— HALLWAY COUCHES
The student center has many places to sleep, but the couches in the hall are the G.O.A.T. They have the perfect curve in the middle to rest your head on and are in the best location since foot traffic is non-existent in the hallways. If you are willing to risk serenity for comfort, the lobby that holds the piano is a cozy nap area, too. Anywhere in the student center can be a perfect nap area if you allow it.
FINE ARTS LIBRARY
A secret gem on campus that few know about is the Fine Arts Library! It is the perfect place to study and nap. You could hear a pin drop throughout the entire library. No study room is needed when you enter the library since everyone around you is silent. Which is why it’s a perfect place to nap on campus, snuggled up behind the bookshelves in the comfy chairs or on the floor.
ANY STUDY ROOM
ANY study room on campus can be the ideal nap location. Of course, you have to reserve/book a study room but why not get some homework done and then nap within that allotted time? You can play music or Netflix out loud, turn the lights off, and it’s completely silent. If you are determined to get a good midday nap, this might be the location for you. You can find a study room in Gatton, Willy T, and the Student Center.
With greatness and hard work comes midday naps! Relax and take your mind off the million things you have to do and snuggle up in one of these five places on campus. We deserve the naps we think we deserve.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLUBB