Precious Sleep

Two words I hated as a child: nap time.

Whenever my kindergarten teacher advised us to lie down on our squishy maps, I squirmed and started a conversation with my nap chat friends.

Not anymore.

When I get any opportunity to take a power nap, my head transforms like a paperweight.

So many countries around the world schedule mid-afternoon siestas. Sometimes I wish America could take mid-afternoon siestas like Spain. Unfortunately, children and adults in the United States don’t have that opportunity.

In college, sleeping an extra 30 minutes is like finding a scarce resource. When my alarm clock goes off at 7:45 a.m., I constantly choose between an extra 30 minutes of sleep or going to the Hickey Dining Hall for breakfast. This usually results in pressing snooze while my roommate goes to breakfast and me reluctantly rolling out of bed at 8:15, 15 minutes before calculus.

Although I never have time for a vegetarian omelet or a scrumptious muffin, those extra 30 minutes allow me to function without the recommended eight hours of sleep.

So does the power nap I take after lunch.

Unlike in kindergarten, there are two words that now bring a smile to my face as a college student: nap time. And by smile, I also mean the highlight of a long day of classes and work.