Snooze Spots: Where to Sleep on Harvard's Clock

Let’s play word association: Nap! Acceptable answers are only “I want one” or “If only I had the time.” Squeezing those shut-eyed moments of pure bliss into your busy schedule can be difficult. Between all of the procrastinating on Facebook, dawdling at the Kong, and avoiding last night’s hook-up, there is often only a small window to hit the sack and take a nap. You rush out of class, bleary-eyed and bushy- tailed, but you live so far away! Where can you possibly go to responsibly catch some afternoon Zzz’s and wake up in a sweaty panic, wondering what the heck the time is and why it’s so dark out?

By Ben G Cort

Let’s play word association: Nap! Acceptable answers are only “I want one” or “If only I had the time.”

Squeezing those shut-eyed moments of pure bliss into your busy schedule can be difficult. Between all of the procrastinating on Facebook, dawdling at the Kong, and avoiding last night’s hook-up, there is often only a small window to hit the sack and take a nap. You rush out of class, bleary-eyed and bushy- tailed, but you live so far away! Where can you possibly go to responsibly catch some afternoon Zzz’s and wake up in a sweaty panic, wondering what the heck the time is and why it’s so dark out?

Women’s Center

This is no joke. Located in the basement of Canaday, the Women’s Center is stocked with couches and contraceptives. Brew up some tea, play a board game by yourself, and make freshmen feel uncomfortable from behind a half-closed eye when they try to sneak condoms out of the hall.

Science Center

On the first floor of the Cabot Science Library, in the far right corner, is a deso- late sight: rows of empty metal yearning for more content than the 2004-2005 Courses of Instruction and Decision Q008! (For those not in the know about this required reading, it’s the hard copy of the Q-Guide results from 2008). Nestled within these shelves are some plush, cozy chairs with excellent window views. It’s nice and private so you can com- fortably drift off to dreamland while fulfilling all of your plaza-related voyeuristic fantasies.

Lamont

The intellectual’s nap spot. Make your way to the QP425’s on Floor B and nestle down underneath such titles as “Secrets of Sleep” and “Sleep Thieves.” Be sure to grab a discarded B+ essay from the dumpster to use as a blanket if it’s midterm season. Close your eyes, do your best to ignore the books right down the shelf about the inevitability of death, and let the quiet sobbing meandering down from the third floor sing you to sleep.

Sever

Picture the scene: You’ve just spent the past hour and a half trying so hard not to fall asleep in Spanish that if you don’t get some shut eye in the next seven minutes before class it might be R.I.P. for you. You rush to the basement. A grimy row of red lockers lines the halls. You check the handles, losing time and hope with each locked clunk. But finally one swings open. Salvation! You contort your body inside and pull the door shut. Did it just lock? Oh well, it’s dark and safe in here, like a fallout shelter that’s lost power. You try to breath deeply, but your knee is in your windpipe. Mmm...soothing.

Science Center Plaza

There’s no time to go inside! You have to sleep, and sleep now. Luckily for you the plaza has provided Harvard dwellers with a number of premier nap locations. Just pick your favorite food truck, sneak around back, and curl up underneath. The engine fumes will wrap you in a smoggy blanket and delightfully psychedelically tint your dream.

Honorable Mention

The hallway outside of University President Drew G. Faust’s office.