I have been a commuter student for two years now, actively involved and often on campus at 10:00 AM and still on campus past 10:00 PM. I can be exhausted on many days.
My first nap was an accidental nap while I was lounging at a 2/5 star location in the Donahue 4th Floor Lounge. I was doing a reading for class the next day, and had my iPad open in front of me for the entire duration of my 30 minute nap. I woke up in shock that I had not been robbed (well, no, it is populated and there are security cameras…plus students are 99% respectful of each other), and feeling shockingly rested. Since then, I have considered myself a campus nap guru.
I have napped in places I would not recommend. This Unofficial Commuter Student Nap Map considers that, and has compiled 9 spots that would keep you out of the ways of others where you can take a moment of peace and quiet.
Many of you are in the midst of preparing for graduation, preparing for finals, and in the midst of the every-paper-is-due season…Until we have a nap center, with cots and lockers to keep your belongings secure (which I’m advocating for, even if nobody else is)…This nap map is dedicated to you. Nap at your own risk.
73 Tremont: Sawyer Library
This is one of the most common napping locations on campus, but also one of my least favorites. This is where the majority of Suffolk commuter students go to do their work when they have a break, which makes it a high-traffic location, making naps difficult. I feel everywhere I go here, I am taking up space somebody else needs. There are some quiet locations on the upper floors that offer some comfortable chairs or love seats, but none are comfortable and the location is distracting to those who want to sleep with the number of people passing by. I am a person who prefers to have less judgement in my nap zone, and fewer people who lay their eyes on me while I am sleeping soundly. Other areas are interrupted by louder noise and even more traffic. It may be popular with others, but I would give the Sawyer Library a 2/5 star nap rating.
73 Tremont: 9th Floor
Speaking from experience, this is by far the greatest place to take a nap. Very few students are still aware of this location – at all – so it never has more than 5-6 students working here. Those who do, come here because they know it will be a quiet place to work. This is the ONLY place on campus that offers full-sized couches in abundance, rather than love seats. 5/5 stars, would nap here again.
My first nap was an accidental nap while I was lounging at a 2/5 star location in the Donahue 4th Floor Lounge. I was doing a reading for class the next day, and had my iPad open in front of me for the entire duration of my 30 minute nap. I woke up in shock that I had not been robbed (well, no, it is populated and there are security cameras…plus students are 99% respectful of each other), and feeling shockingly rested. Since then, I have considered myself a campus nap guru.
I have napped in places I would not recommend. This Unofficial Commuter Student Nap Map considers that, and has compiled 9 spots that would keep you out of the ways of others where you can take a moment of peace and quiet.
Many of you are in the midst of preparing for graduation, preparing for finals, and in the midst of the every-paper-is-due season…Until we have a nap center, with cots and lockers to keep your belongings secure (which I’m advocating for, even if nobody else is)…This nap map is dedicated to you. Nap at your own risk.
73 Tremont: Sawyer Library
This is one of the most common napping locations on campus, but also one of my least favorites. This is where the majority of Suffolk commuter students go to do their work when they have a break, which makes it a high-traffic location, making naps difficult. I feel everywhere I go here, I am taking up space somebody else needs. There are some quiet locations on the upper floors that offer some comfortable chairs or love seats, but none are comfortable and the location is distracting to those who want to sleep with the number of people passing by. I am a person who prefers to have less judgement in my nap zone, and fewer people who lay their eyes on me while I am sleeping soundly. Other areas are interrupted by louder noise and even more traffic. It may be popular with others, but I would give the Sawyer Library a 2/5 star nap rating.
73 Tremont: 9th Floor
Speaking from experience, this is by far the greatest place to take a nap. Very few students are still aware of this location – at all – so it never has more than 5-6 students working here. Those who do, come here because they know it will be a quiet place to work. This is the ONLY place on campus that offers full-sized couches in abundance, rather than love seats. 5/5 stars, would nap here again.
Donahue: 4th Floor Lounge
There are 3 prime spots in the SLI lounge where I have taken a nap.
One is in the front by the entrance, on the love seats nearby the ever-noisy pool table. These are not recommended, and I can attest that I was only able to sleep over that amount of noise because of the level of exhaustion I had reached. The noise level, the small love seat, I would give this spot only 2/5 stars.
The second is in the center hallway. The noise is muffled by the walls around this spot, and the surrounding rooms are for meetings/conferences, so they tend to be very quiet. There are a few love seats here, and there is often at least one student sleeping here. This is the only spot in the Unofficial Commuter Student Nap Map I have not experienced myself, but that is because I tend to choose a different spot in this location for my nap time. Estimated 2.5/5 stars, decent nap location.
There are 3 prime spots in the SLI lounge where I have taken a nap.
One is in the front by the entrance, on the love seats nearby the ever-noisy pool table. These are not recommended, and I can attest that I was only able to sleep over that amount of noise because of the level of exhaustion I had reached. The noise level, the small love seat, I would give this spot only 2/5 stars.
The second is in the center hallway. The noise is muffled by the walls around this spot, and the surrounding rooms are for meetings/conferences, so they tend to be very quiet. There are a few love seats here, and there is often at least one student sleeping here. This is the only spot in the Unofficial Commuter Student Nap Map I have not experienced myself, but that is because I tend to choose a different spot in this location for my nap time. Estimated 2.5/5 stars, decent nap location.
My most-used napping spot is in the very back of the Donahue Lounge, away from the offices. This area has a little bit of noise, but it is more bearable than in the heart of ping-pong town. Some of the chairs do not have any arms, so it is easy to put a couple of chairs together and lay down unrestricted by the arms of the love seats. I have once taken a 2-hour nap there, completely undisturbed. The Donahue location also makes it very accessible for many CAS students with classes in Ridgeway/Donahue/Archer/Fenton. I give this location 4/5 stars for its napping convenience.
Donahue: Cafeteria
This location only works at very specific hours. Usually, this place is far too crowded, and far too noisy. I, however, can nap almost anywhere when I am tired enough. After 2:00 PM, this is the prime place to nap on one of their new sofa-apparatuses, though they are some of the least comfortable spots to lounge. Be wary, however; this location locks up on most nights around 4:00 PM! With the odd hours, potential rude awakenings, and the uncomfortable napping locations, I would only give this location 1/5 stars.
Sawyer: 2nd Floor Lounge
The loud, crowded cafeteria? No. You want to enter the doors, take a left, head to the back, and take another left into that tiny little alcove. This spot is almost always dimly lit, as if they are expecting you to curl up into one of their chairs and fall asleep between classes, however, there is spillover noise from the adjacent lounge. There is always at least one person napping in this location, so you will find next to no judgement for falling asleep in this location. The napping equipment – chairs and love seats – are older and less comfortable than others available on campus. 3/5 stars, would nap again if I had a short break between Sawyer classes.
Athletes: 2nd Floor of Ridgeway
I have not slept here, because I am not in athletics, and I feel it might be weird if I did. I have, however, seen strong-looking probably-athletics dudes dozing off in the couches to the left of the elevators. It looks like a decent place. I’ve sat there before, and the furniture is comfortable enough. The athletics crowd can be noisy, however. Estimated 2/5 stars. You will probably be woken up at this location. If you are not an athletics student, steer clear.
Theatre Department Students: Studio Theatre Cafeteria/”Green Room”
Every theatre student has napped here. Seriously. Every one of them. I napped here once during a show and had somebody wake me up for my next cue – somehow, it just magically happens. It is a prime place to sleep between classes and before rehearsals because everybody is in the ‘know’ to leave you to sleep peacefully during your nap. The couches are older, but have that I’m-older-so-I’m-broken-in comfort about them. As a theatre minor,I give this location 4/5 stars for the low noise level and respect for napping that comes with the location. It would be weird for everybody if you napped here and were not involved with the theatre department at all, 0/5 stars, would not recommend doing that.
This concludes my current findings, and completes the InstaRam Unofficial Commuter Student Nap Map. If you have another napping location suggestion, I will be happy to test it in the near future and add it to this collection. Share your experiences in the comments!
This should go without saying: Do not steal my napping locations from me after I publish this, as I publish this out of the kindness of my heart for those of you in silent desperation for a nap. If I try to nap next week and do not find a single place, I will regret my kindness so much.
Donahue: Cafeteria
This location only works at very specific hours. Usually, this place is far too crowded, and far too noisy. I, however, can nap almost anywhere when I am tired enough. After 2:00 PM, this is the prime place to nap on one of their new sofa-apparatuses, though they are some of the least comfortable spots to lounge. Be wary, however; this location locks up on most nights around 4:00 PM! With the odd hours, potential rude awakenings, and the uncomfortable napping locations, I would only give this location 1/5 stars.
Sawyer: 2nd Floor Lounge
The loud, crowded cafeteria? No. You want to enter the doors, take a left, head to the back, and take another left into that tiny little alcove. This spot is almost always dimly lit, as if they are expecting you to curl up into one of their chairs and fall asleep between classes, however, there is spillover noise from the adjacent lounge. There is always at least one person napping in this location, so you will find next to no judgement for falling asleep in this location. The napping equipment – chairs and love seats – are older and less comfortable than others available on campus. 3/5 stars, would nap again if I had a short break between Sawyer classes.
Athletes: 2nd Floor of Ridgeway
I have not slept here, because I am not in athletics, and I feel it might be weird if I did. I have, however, seen strong-looking probably-athletics dudes dozing off in the couches to the left of the elevators. It looks like a decent place. I’ve sat there before, and the furniture is comfortable enough. The athletics crowd can be noisy, however. Estimated 2/5 stars. You will probably be woken up at this location. If you are not an athletics student, steer clear.
Theatre Department Students: Studio Theatre Cafeteria/”Green Room”
Every theatre student has napped here. Seriously. Every one of them. I napped here once during a show and had somebody wake me up for my next cue – somehow, it just magically happens. It is a prime place to sleep between classes and before rehearsals because everybody is in the ‘know’ to leave you to sleep peacefully during your nap. The couches are older, but have that I’m-older-so-I’m-broken-in comfort about them. As a theatre minor,I give this location 4/5 stars for the low noise level and respect for napping that comes with the location. It would be weird for everybody if you napped here and were not involved with the theatre department at all, 0/5 stars, would not recommend doing that.
This concludes my current findings, and completes the InstaRam Unofficial Commuter Student Nap Map. If you have another napping location suggestion, I will be happy to test it in the near future and add it to this collection. Share your experiences in the comments!
This should go without saying: Do not steal my napping locations from me after I publish this, as I publish this out of the kindness of my heart for those of you in silent desperation for a nap. If I try to nap next week and do not find a single place, I will regret my kindness so much.
