By Fara Seddigh
The stresses of student life often seem never-ending. Keeping up with courses, posting cute Instagram pictures, eating healthy, and managing finances are just a few daily student struggles. Juggling everything can feel overwhelming. Sometimes we need a nap.
Most students sacrifice hours of sleep in the process.
We’ve all experienced our eyes falling shut during an important lecture. The toll of the long commute, exam prep, or late-night Netflix binges finally catches up to us. To compensate for the heavy sleep deprivation, many of us resort to a quick cup of artificial energy from an on-campus Timmies.
What many of us fail to realize is that a quick nap will provide all of the benefits of the coffee, without the extra sugar or calories. Naps allow our minds to relax, rejuvenate, and refresh. In other words, a nap will let you refuel just enough to process information in class and have lots of energy left over to productively continue your day. For many Yorkies, the desire to nap is there. However, most students just don’t know where to find a quiet spot to fall asleep, even if it’s for 20 minutes.
If you want to find the best on-campus spots to dream about passing your next exam, keep reading. Please note that these locations are not mentioned in any particular order. Each fulfills the needs of a certain napper.
10. Vari Hall – Tutorial Rooms
I know what you’re thinking. With the constant traffic, 45 club members simultaneously asking you to sign some petition and the countless lectures taking place, how can Vari Hall even qualify as a spot for napping? Patience is key, my friends. Vari Hall is a diamond in disguise, but only after certain hours. If you’re the person with a break at exactly 12 PM, stay away from this area at all costs. Not only will you not find a place to sleep, but you run a serious risk of being stuck in the middle of a stampede worse than the one Mufasa died in.
However, between the hours of 7 to 10 PM, Vari Hall transforms into one of the most peaceful spots on campus. Due to its high number of tutorial rooms, Vari’s got vari-ous spots for a quick nap. Feel free to pop into one of the smaller classrooms during these times, as most of them are usually open for students to study in. Turn off the lights, relax, and enjoy the few hours of quiet at this otherwise hectic location.
9. Life Sciences Building
This is a shout-out to all of the science students out there who have had to catch a quick 10 minutes of shut-eye before their next three-hour lab. Unbeknownst to most, the Life Sciences building is a place meant for more than just observing worms and mixing potions or whatever it is that science kids do. In fact, this place is a great area for students to test out the following hypothesis: cell regeneration in the body takes place as a direct result of intense napping.
Pop into the study room on the first floor of this building for a quiet area to put some earphones in and fall asleep. If you’re afraid of having your DNA stolen for research by one of the bio majors, try to sit at one of the further tables. The chairs are quite comfortable, and the strong Wi-Fi allows you to easily resume your studying after some cell rejuvenation.
8. Second Student Centre (SSC) – Third Floor/Study Rooms
Ah, the Second Student Centre. The newest (and most expensive) building at York University. Advertised as a space reserved exclusively for students to study or use for extracurriculars, its lack of furniture for sitting and actually studying is truly remarkable. For our purposes, however, the lack of structure on the third floor can be an advantage. During the winter months, you can literally lay your scarf on the floor and begin to snooze off. If you’re someone who needs a little extra comfort, the study rooms in SSC are available for booking for up to 2 hours.
They’re meant to be used for studying but so are lecture halls, and people still fall asleep in those. Simply put, do not feel guilty about using the room to sleep.
7. Calumet College – Room 100
Ever heard of Calumet College? Maybe not. As the official college for most Psychology students, it offers many spots to de-stress and take naps. Room 100, located on the first floor of Calumet, is probably one of the best spots to hang out. It has comfortable couches, a foosball table, ping pong, and a microwave if you need to heat up last night’s leftovers. With the exception of event times, this room is open to the public and is a great spot to drift off to sleepy land. If you’re feeling drowsy or want to prove your superiority in foosball, come hang out at Calumet 100!
6. Scott Library – Third Floor
Oh yes, the infamous Scott Library. Arguably the most overcrowded library at York. It is a place filled with hardworking students preparing for their next form of evaluation. Well, either that or students roaming the internet. Most of the students at Scott are quite respectful of the No Talking rule. This rule is strictly upheld on the higher floors of the library. Thus, making the private cubicles on the third floor the perfect spot to lay your head down and doze off.
If you’re the type of person who enjoys a little more comfort than a wooden desk, continue reading. If not, the library is great to enjoy the quiet or catch a little bit of sleep before your readings.
5. Stong College – Junior Commons Rooms
All Yorkies belong to a college affiliated with their program. For most Kinesiology or other Faculty of Health students, that college is Stong. Many recognize Stong as home to a high number of student athletes or future medical students. But what most do not know, is that it has one of the best spots on campus for a nice long nap. The Junior Commons Room, located on the first floor of Stong College, is a great area for relaxing, doing work, or napping. Additionally, this room is home to many tutors for Kinesiology courses, so you can absorb some knowledge while snoozing.
4. William Small Centre
Home to one of the best (or most crowded) on-campus Tim Hortons, kick back and relax at William Small Centre. Through the Timmies entrance, head down to the computer lab where you’ll usually find open spots. Just be careful when using this space. You may be tempted to grab a double-double and avoid sleeping altogether. If you’re not strong enough to resist the smell of freshly brewed coffee, keep reading.
3. Health, Nursing, & Environmental Studies Building
I’m not sure what it is about this building, but there’s a certain peacefulness that makes it easy to drift off. The classrooms are smaller, but the structure of the building provides comforting energy that makes it difficult to stay awake. This building consists of vastly open spaces. Many of them have benches on which you can fall asleep. If you prefer privacy, duck into one of the smaller classrooms. Just make sure to check the class schedule prior to dozing off or you’ll end up snoring in the middle of a Modes of Reasoning class.
2. Central Square Rooftop
A hidden gem at York. The Central Square Rooftop is a great place to fall asleep under the stars, unless your break is situated in the middle of the day. Although not the best place to nap during the winter months, the rooftop is a great spot to get away from the busy and overcrowded halls of York University. Simply take the stairs between Central Square and Curtis Lecture Halls to wind up at this beautiful location. You won’t regret walking up to see this view, even if it is of other York buildings.
1. Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Building
Formerly known as the TEL building, this location offers countless spots for dozing off. Whether it’s the computing commons, general study areas or cafes, this location has many comfortable spots to get some rest in between classes. The downside is that it is a bit of a walk from where the majority of classes take place.
Find a few good spots for some much-needed nap in between your classes. Sleep deprivation can lead to a decrease in your academic performance. Before taking this advice, please note the following disclaimer. If you fall asleep at any of the mentioned spots, the author of this article assumes no responsibility for anyone who tries to kiss you to wake you from an eternal sleeping curse. Sweet dreams!
