The second-most popular habit of college students, after procrastination, is the self-indulgent act of napping. Trinity has provided many accommodating nap sites that prioritize comfort and stress relief. However, many college students lean towards unconventional nap sites when looking to catch up on missed sleep.

According to the American Addiction Center, over 88% of college students have expressed they find themselves stressed. As a result, college students utilize napping as a means of managing their stress levels. According to Landmark Health, naps have been proven to increase energy levels while minimizing feelings of anxiety and depression and promoting relaxation and mood regulation. With the diverse range of nap sites on campus, what are the most obscure places students have used to snooze?

Katie Slansky, first-year art major, claims that napping is a crucial aspect of her day and takes at least one nap a day. Like most students, Slansky makes use of many of the restful places Trinity has to offer, her favorite being the hammocks outside the Margarite B. Parker Chapel. Although Slansky enjoys napping in the hammocks, she also shared that sometimes all a good nap takes is a quiet, dark space.

“Once I took a nap in the darkroom in the Dicke Smith Building while I was waiting for my film to dry,” Slansky said. “I set a timer and did a little half-sitting half-slouched nap.”

Derian Mowen, junior computer science major, searches for rest amongst the dust-covered books of the library.

“The weirdest place I have napped on campus was definitely on top of one of the tables in the PQ [shelves] section on the fourth floor of the library,” Mowen said. “I ended up using my backpack as a pillow.”

Audrey Crawford, first-year psychology and English double-major, shared that sometimes rest finds you in the most unexpected places.

“Once I fell asleep on the left side, second-to-last pew at the school church [Parker Chapel],” Crawford said. “I later woke up with a chapel blanket covering me.”

Sean Macias, first-year accounting and finance double-major, expressed that he is often busy with schoolwork, as he is currently enrolled in 19 credit hours. To counter the stress of school, Sean has utilized napping in his everyday routine. If he isn’t napping in his room, you can find him sprawled over in one of the study booths on the fourth floor of the library.

“I honestly try to get at least an hour of rest throughout the day,” Macias said. “I’m often up pretty late doing work, so the rest I get is pretty important for me to be as efficient as possible.”

Each student has their own napping rituals that suit them. While some students take advantage of the conventional nap sites on campus, others often find themselves counting sheep in rather obscure places. Where one chooses to nap is rather unimportant, as the goal of napping is simply to unwind, destress and ultimately maintain one’s sanity.