OK, so I am wired right now, and do you know why? Because I just took a nap. Temple University has made naptime a sacred art.
I remember when I was in preschool I hated taking naps. They were like trying to ride my pink banana seat Huffy with no training wheels, horrible! Since then, I’ve grown. I’ve learned to respect the act of closing my eyes for a half an hour or even five minutes, if I can slip it in.
What’s really great is that I can practically nap anywhere at anytime. And I know I am not alone on this. I think every college student can appreciate the nap. It’s scary that no matter how much sleep I get, I’m still tired. Not just tired, but after-Thanksgiving dinner tired. So I have tried to label these naps and give some hints for achieving a little shut eye wherever, whenever.
The “I’m only going to close my eyes for a minute” Nap – this is probably the most classic of all napping styles, mostly because the name is deceiving. Every time I take this type of nap, I know I’m not going to follow the name. Unless you have a blinking problem, this nap is just a tease. This nap makes for the best rest, but it’ll piss you off when you wake up. This is mostly because you really believe you are only going to sleep for a minute, not four hours.
The “where am I, what time is it” Nap – this is a solid nap (yes, I used the word “solid”). You feel rested after this type of eye closure. This nap usually starts out in the daylight and ends after the sun goes down. Most of the time this nap causes great confusion regarding time periods and placement, forcing the first question after waking, “where am I, what time is it?”
The “in class” Nap – napping gets tricky in this form. Skill is required to pull this type of nap off. Freshman, do not try this in class, you are too inexperienced for such a level of napping. My first tip is to wear a hat. By bowing your head oh so slightly with a hat on is key. The professor will not even see it coming. And to be good at this nap, you must be able to control the head jerking. You know what I’m talking about, that thing your head does when you fall asleep sitting up. This nap is the funniest to watch, so keep your eyes peeled for nappers who don’t know what they are doing.
The “in between class” Nap – why it’s called the “in between” nap, I’m not quite sure. The fact of the matter is that you never make it to the next class. You think you are going to get up in an hour to go to class, but you don’t. This nap makes you even more tired than you were before. It’s the kind where you wake up to check the time, wipe the drool from your face and then fall right back asleep. During the naptime you don’t care about missing the class, but when you wake up it’s a different story. “Why didn’t I go to class, my midterm is next week?” you’re left asking.
In any case, we’ve all experienced these naps during our days at Temple U. So rest up, because practice makes perfect.
Julie Crist can be reached at copshoo98@yahoo.com
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