You can find them in beds across campus. Some are small and inconspicuous, while other are large and brightly-colored emblems of a simpler time. Some are cute and entirely presentable, while many are ancient and war wounded, likely to be unseen in daylight. Nonetheless, despite their disheveled appearances and dubious pasts, they’re loved by the people who treasure them. I’m speaking, of course, of those small, slightly embarrassing tokens of childhood that inhabit the private lives of many college students.
Whether it’s a teddy bear named “teddy,” or a frayed, pink baby blanket, “bed friends,” as I like to call them, play a huge, yet slightly embarrassing role in the lives of many Bowdoin men and women. Everything from the names to the appearances of these raggedy creatures seems to compel their owners to hide their sordid obsession. However, there is very little to be ashamed of.
“No I never slept with a stuffed animal…well except for my stuffed Babar when I was ages 3 – 6” said sophomore Anna Prohl, who remembers her bed friend fondly. “He was a stuffed animal but also a puppet.”
“I sleep with a stuffed animal ” said Aubrey Zott, a sophomore who is proud of her association with her bed friend.
Sleeping with thousands of students every night, bed friends are small gestures of comfort that can act as substitutes for home, or comfort to those who are stressed, sick, or tired. Unfortunately, the shame of the supposed juvenility of these children’s toys can sometimes mean that our bed friends get the short end of the stick. One unidentified source confessed her desire to hide her bed friend before going out, just in case a male visitor were to stumble upon it.
Not everyone regards bed friends so hostilely. When asked if she ever felt compelled to hide her beloved stuffed animal, Aubrey remarked, “Of course I don’t hide my bed friend!”
When asked his opinion of bed friends and romance, Charlie Rollins said, “I don’t think it’s weird at all. I think it’s pretty normal for a girl to have a stuffed animal on her bed.”
The consensus seems to be that it’s perfectly acceptable for college-aged students to enjoy the company of soft, fluffy reminders of childhood and home. But does the end of college mark the end of a bed friend’s life? When does it stop being socially acceptable to share your bed with a stuffed sheep named Mr. Snuffles?
“Never,” said sophomore Chrissy Hayes. “ I don’t think anyone should feel like they’ve outgrown it. It’s like a security blanket, some people just like it.”
So while that ratty cat you’ve had since childhood may seem like an embarrassing secret, something that should only be shared between you and 6 year olds all over the country, the reality is that many college-aged students still sleep with their bed friends. Especially in a time as stressful as college, where people are expected to balance academics, sports and social life, bed friends are the ultimate confidants. They are nonjudgmental, silent friends, whose tireless support can help through even the most difficult of situations.
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