Life on campus can be extremely busy. Between balancing classes, jobs and extracurriculars, students sometimes sacrifice sleep to get everything done. Fortunately, the Ole Miss campus provides many convenient places to catch up on sleep during the day.
“For me personally, I have long days at school,” John Champagne, a junior biochemistry and biology major from Bay St. Louis, Miss., said. “I come on campus around 8 a.m. and stay until 9 p.m. for an SI session. I have upwards of three to four classes in one day. So it’s almost imperative to find somewhere to take a break for a little bit.”
After taking naps on campus, he feels more awake and able to push through his work for the day.
“A quick power nap makes me feel refreshed and recharged. Like, I could go another couple of hours without feeling tired,” Champagne said.
According to the Mayo Clinic, scheduling regular naps can boost mood, improve performance, increase alertness and reduce fatigue. It’s important to nap in the early afternoon before 3 p.m. to avoid interfering with nighttime sleep and to keep naps between 15-20 minutes to avoid entering a deeper sleep cycle.
Max Griffith, a senior film major, tends to sacrifice sleep on nights he stays up late writing. He likes to fit in sleep when he can but tries to avoid sleeping for too long.
“It’s a good day if I get two naps in,” Griffith said. “They are a priority to me. I tend to plan my day around my sleep. Fifteen minutes is all I need sometimes. I’m not down to enter the cycle.”
The Well inside the Turner Center’s first floor is a popular place to rest on campus. It’s accessible Monday-Thursday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Fridays 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Well overlooks the Turner Center’s pool and is known for its comfortable bean bags, rest mats and the soothing sounds of swim and scuba classes.
“My favorite sleep spot on campus is The Well,” Musa Thomas, a junior finance major, said. “If I’m tired or just want to relax, I go there to lie down and listen to the water.”
The LGBTQ+ lounge, located on the fourth floor of Lamar Hall, is a safe and welcoming space on campus. The lounge is open when Lamar Hall is open, typically between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Check for extended hours during exam weeks.)
“I like to go to the LGBTQ lounge in Lamar,” Champagne said. “They have lots of comfy couches, a really good view of the residential colleges, and it’s usually very quiet.”
The Duff Center has rooms that can be reserved for studying — and potentially sleeping. The second floor, pavilion-adjacent entrance, has booths located across from the front desk that can be used for sleeping. The Duff Center is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“My favorite spot is the booths at the front of the Duff Center on the second floor,” Logan Harden, biology student, said. “They are comfy, mostly secluded and kind of hard to find if you don’t know where you are going.”
The third floor of J.D. Williams is the designated quiet floor of the library but can tend to be busy during the day. If open, the library’s study cubby desks can be used as headrests. For a more secluded space, check out the fourth and fifth mezzanine floors.
The Grove stage turf, benches and trees are great options to enjoy beautiful Oxford weather on a sunny day. Noise levels can vary, and there may be some interruptions from landscaping or campus tours.
“I like sleeping outside. I think it’s more relaxing and primitive,” Griffith said. “I think it probably does some sort of good for the body.”
On a college campus, operating on a lack of sleep is understandable if not relatable. The campus culture allows students to sleep in public environments without feeling embarrassed and knowing their belongings are safe. If you plan to take an extended nap, you may want to place your items in a locker available in the bottom floor locker rooms of the Turner Center.
