THE AVERAGE student spends nearly one and half of their four years here at the University partaking in one single activity: sleep. For those keeping score that works out to about $17,000 worth of sleep (based on 2003-2004 cost estimates) for Virginians and a staggering $41,000 for non-Virginians spread out over your academic career. Talk about an expensive nap. The fact is, though, for the past 18 years most of you have lived in your parents' home, which means that while you probably didn't have a strict lights out at 10 p.m. rule, the odds are you did get a lecture in the morning if your parents caught you up past midnight. Even during the joys of second semester senior slump, you still had to wake up early every morning to make that pesky 7:30 a.m. AP Calculus class. Soon, however, you'll be here -- a land of 3 a.m. bedtimes, four-hour naps, sharing a room with someone and much more. Here are some tips to help you survive.
Move-in day, the most angst filled period most of you will face since prom, promises to be one of the longest days of your life. Only those with superpowers sleep much the night before, and hauling your belongings up one, two or three flights of stairs is guaranteed to tire you out. Don't even think about trying to sleep before 1 a.m. -- your RA has a myriad of activities lined up followed by socializing with all your new suitemates or hallmates. I suggest playing a game of "who's been awake the longest." Just be wary of the student from Pennsylvania who left their house at four that morning.
For the first few months at school it is almost a guarantee that you won't go to bed at the same time on two consecutive nights. Many of you are most likely unaccustomed to going to bed at 1 or 2 a.m. every night, but I assure you this is quite normal. Henceforth, consider a bedtime before 1 a.m. to be "early," a bedtime between 1 and 3 a.m. to be "normal" and anything after 3 a.m. as "late." Some of you may scoff at this and have grand plans of going to bed at 11 p.m. every night. Sure, you can plan to go to bed at 11 p.m. but then the guys next door start playing Madden 2004, the girls downstairs come up to say hi, someone orders a pizza, everyone is on AIM (you won't truly appreciate this until you arrive) and boom! Next thing you know its 3 in the morning.
There are some ways you can circumvent strolling into your 9 a.m. language class with blood-shot eyes. Establish some semblance of a routine. Even if you are going to bed late every night, at least be consistent about it. Yo-yoing bedtimes just end up hurting you in the long-run. It may sound silly, but as the year progresses, your body just won't tolerate going to bed late every night. I recall that in my first semester everyone in my suite was going to bed at 2 or 3 a.m. During the second semester, though, we all started crashing at midnight or 12:30 a.m. because our bodies were just so worn out from going to bed late every night.
Another way to combat the drowsiness and fatigue associated with late-night bedtimes is the nap. Napping is the most important concept you'll learn during your four years here at the University. It requires practice, skill and determination. When used properly, the nap can effectively eliminate the effects of lost sleep and even increase your ability to stay up late. The science of napping is predicated on three tenets: location, duration and frequency.
The best location for any nap is obviously your own bed. Sometimes, however, due to issues with roommates or a long day of classes, it's not always possible to have a nap in this desirable setting. One recommendation is to scout out possible alternate locations for naps based on your day-to-day schedule. Classes in Gilmer Hall or near new dorms are a great opportunity to grab a few winks in the comfy sofas of Tuttle Lounge. Clemons Library in Central Grounds offers large cushioned chairs that can be placed end to end to make a "bed" that's great for napping. Be wary of sleeping in the Amphitheater -- most of the time you'll end up with sunburn or a stiff back.
The duration of the nap is also very important. Left without distractions, a college student can easily sleep for four or five hours in the afternoon. This is not advised, though, as you'll spend a good hour trying to fight your way through the haze of a deep afternoon sleep and be up half the night. A two-hour nap seems to be suited to the college crowd.
Finally, the frequency of your naps should not be neglected. A daily nap is ideal but sometimes classes and activities can hamper achieving that goal. Shoot for at least three solid naps during the week. If you want to be ambitious, go for it; one of my best friends routinely naps two or three times in one day, and he seems no worse for the wear.
However you decide to get your daily dose of sleep during your time here at the University, be it through going to bed "early" or a rigorous napping schedule realize that yes, some nights you'll find your self asleep by 10 p.m., and some nights you won't sleep at all. Even though sleep can be both an enemy and a friend, it's better to embrace it than to abandon it.
(Joe Schilling can be reached at jschilling@cavalierdaily.com.)
Read More
UPADHYAYA: The Great and not-so-Good sides of U.Va.’s 2030 housing plan
By Apal Upadhyaya | YesterdayInstead of improving the dire state of existing infrastructure, however, the University has shifted attention away from it and chosen to expand.
EDITORIAL: Support low-barrier shelters in Charlottesville
By Editorial Board | 2 days agoInvesting in low-barrier shelters now will pay off in increased stability for the homeless, which will undoubtedly improve the safety of shelters and the community writ large.
SHRAUGER: McIntire’s three-year model limits opportunities for first-year students
By Alex Shrauger | 4 days agoBy pigeonholing students into commerce so early, the University violates its own mission of providing a holistic education that produces students capable of succeeding in a variety of fields.
