An hour into a two-hour lecture and running on only two hours of sleep, you begin to write illegibly as your head bobs — you desperately need a place to konk out. But with only a 20-minute gap between classes, you don’t have time to go home for a quick catnap. Well, have no fear, the Quad is near!
This year, the Quad was voted again as the best place to sleep on campus. Considered the hub of campus, the Quad is located just south of the Memorial Union.
The Quad is split by a path forming the East and West Quads. Students, staff and the general public enjoy the grassy area by sunbathing, studying, socializing and, of course, sleeping.
Although punctuated by the occasional curious squirrel, the luscious grass, cool breezes and trees casting warm shadows make the Quad appealing to those who want to take a short snooze.
“Sleep difficulties are an issue with students. About 30 percent of students here say sleep difficulty interferes with academics,” said Jason Spitzer, sexual and mental wellness health educator for UC Davis Health Education and Promotion (HEP).
Spitzer said about two-thirds of students say they are sleepy or tired three or more days of the week.
“A lot of research is showing getting 20- to 30-minute naps as a supplement to regular nighttime sleep can have some benefits in terms of restoring alertness, increasing memory, increasing concentration and increasing relaxation,” Spitzer said.
So, when you’re debating between studying last-minute for that midterm you stayed up all night kind of studying for, or a power nap, you might want to choose the latter.
There’s no harm in sleeping in public, seeing that sleeping in class and sleeping in Peter J. Shields Library were voted second and third, respectively.
— Claire Tan
