We’ve all been there. It’s the middle or end of the school day and you feel the inevitable energy crash coming. Or frankly, maybe it’s 9am and it’s just one of those days where you woke up tired.
As a senior, I am now living the commuter lifestyle, and even though I live just a few minutes from campus, there are times when I can’t be bothered to head home before a meeting or a late class to enjoy a quick, much-needed nap. It’s for this reason that I now consider myself a professional campus-napper. I have had many a snooze in various places around campus, and I’ve decided that I need to share them with the rest of my tired fellow students. I’ve also asked people in my friend group about which places are their favorite to nap around campus, so rest assured these are all tired-college-kid tested and approved!
Here are some great places to catch some Zzz’s on campus that you will definitely want to keep on your radar, especially with finals week quickly approaching. And no, in class is not one of them.
A hammock in the courtyard by Admissions and Seminary
The perfect place to relax on those beautiful autumn days, or take in that perfect summer breeze while resting in the shade. Arguably the best place to people watch too! Here, you can observe future Vikings going in and out of the Admissions office with their families. And, let’s be real, is there any better way to relax than to chill in a hammock?
The Philosophy Forum in Old Main
Old Main in general is a very warm and relaxing place to take a breather between classes, but unfortunately there aren’t many great places to lie down in Augie’s most iconic building. The Philosophy Forum on the second floor, however, is the ideal place to do something about your droopy eyelids! Just kick your feet up in one of the big, comfy chairs and enjoy the beautiful stained glass.
The Library, first floor
This is easily one of the quietest places on campus to catch up on sleep when you’ve had a long day. There are typically very few people who use this floor of the library, and even if they do, it’s a quiet study place, so you don’t have to worry about people having loud conversations and interrupting your sleep. The only downside to napping here is that the first floor of the library tends to be quite chilly, but why not be a little extra and bring a blanket to curl up with?
The Lower Quad lawn space
The most beautiful place on campus is also one of the best places to take a quick siesta! Right now is the absolute perfect time of year to enjoy the quad—just hurry before the weather gets too cold! Find a spot on the grass in the warm sun, sit in one of the new blue and gold chairs, or set up your hammock and hang out among the birds and black squirrels.
The couches by the stairs to the dining hall, fourth floor Gerber Center
A refreshingly cool place to take a break from your busy day. The best part about this spot is that it is low-traffic, especially in late afternoons and evenings (when nothing is happening in the Gavle rooms, that is), so you can sleep without disturbance or the worry that someone will see you knocked out and judge you. Just let the white noise of the dining hall above lull you to sleep.
The Fish Bowl
Also known as the fourth floor of the library, the Fish Bowl is another quiet place to nap, and it comes with the bonus of great views of the quad—a huge benefit now that fall’s beauty is upon us! There’s loads of windows all around, which also makes it a great place to let the sun warm you as you sleep. Like the couches near the stairs to the dining hall, the fish bowl is another low-traffic area so you can sleep in peace.
Evald Great Hall
This is a super cozy place to lie down on one of the couches in the common room area of the main floor, and is usually quiet later in the day or during classes when students are not rushing around. I mean, who doesn’t want to sleep near a fireplace on a chilly fall or winter day?
The Reading Room in the Geology building
This relaxing room is typically very peacefully quiet, as many people don’t know about it, especially those who are non-majors. To find the Reading Room, enter the Geology building doors near the circle-drive on upper campus, and it’s the first door on the right. This room nails it with the mood lighting—you can literally adjust the lighting yourself!—making it a great place to kick back and relax on a school night. And since it’s near the circle-drive, this room is the perfect place for a pizza delivery!
The Ratiocination Room in Olin
Find this room on the second floor of Olin Center, Room 203. There are plenty of couches to nap on in this room. Once classes are done for the day, it will be quiet as a mouse here, making it a great place to catch some peace after your hard day of math and computer science classes.
Through my “research” and in-depth inquiry about great places to nap on campus, these have been the best and favorite of myself and others. I hope this list will aide all you sleepy Augie students in finding your favorite napping hotspot!