Mammoths Sleep Smarter, Not Harder: Ranking Nap Spots

I have caught myself consistently sleeping at two in the morning this semester. There’s no real reason for this … other than the fact that I’ve been engaging in screenager activities instead of dozing off. Assistant Professor of Psychology Michelle Lee — my “Intro to Psychology” professor — would not be proud. To make matters worse, my schedule this semester has been all over the place, to the point where I am basically buzzing all over campus throughout the week. As a result, I have begun to nap a lot in between classes, playing sleep catch-up through the day. Due to my hectic schedule, my napping spots have varied widely. Every day, rather than make the grueling walk back to my dorm in Tyler House, I find a new place to nap. The number of napping spots is too many to count now, but instead of gatekeeping these areas, I have decided to rate some of the places where I’ve rested to share with you. I am basing these ratings on four variables, with these being: my level of comfort as I began to doze off, my emotions post-nap, any noise that I heard before and after waking up, and unique circumstances that I experienced at each location. 

Converse Hall: 11/10

Whenever I get breakfast with my friends on Mondays or Wednesdays while running on five hours of sleep, I usually have an hour of free time before my Spanish class. Sleep-deprived, I go to Converse Hall and nap at the table in the lobby. Every time I have woken up has been grand! One time in particular was really memorable. After rising from an attempt at slumber, I was approached by a professor asking if I was doing alright. I assured her that everything was okay and that I had just been resting — or trying to, as I had been trying to fall asleep again since I actually woke up a couple of minutes before that. As soon as I woke up from my original slumber and lifted my head, another professor who had coincidentally been walking past said good morning to me. Both interactions happened while my glasses were off, so I couldn’t even tell who the professors were. What I could tell, though, was that this was unserious. Despite how embarrassing this was, I still enjoy napping here. These interesting interactions actually enhance this spot because who expects to be checked up on by a professor after having a nice nap? Not me, that’s for sure. So having two professors say something to me after my small siesta just makes this table at Converse Hall a table of laughter and, weirdly enough, comfort.

Lipton Lecture Hall: 0/10

During my first semester here at Amherst, my friends and I would watch a movie in Lipton Lecture Hall every Saturday. After Eduardo Ramirez-Ventura ’28 finished setting up the pirated website on the projector, we would all lie back and enjoy the screening. However, I was often bored by these screenings. I am a victim of the attention economy. So, after the first few movies, I started dozing off whenever I felt that continuing to watch was too much for me. Lipton does not have the best seats for napping, though. Improvisation had to be done — would not recommend. Extremely uncomfortable, and I woke up with my back aching. The walk back to Stearns was filled with pain. Was it worth it? Probably not.

Long Table in Keefe: 9/10

I discovered this area one day while searching for a secluded place to study in Keefe Campus Center. Located on the second floor, it is, in my opinion, deserted — especially if you go late in the afternoon. After completing any assignment here, I knock out as a reward. It takes a bit of work to adjust yourself into a position that works, but trust me, once you do, the best nap ever is soon to come. The only downside of this place is that the chair and table are so tall — not really short person-friendly. Waking up from my nap and having to watch my step as I get down is a bit hard. I almost tripped getting down, as I was half awake and forgot the height of the chair. I survived though! 

Science Center Couches: 10/10

One of the best spots to knock out in. Whenever I finish lab and have nothing to do afterward, I knock out on the couches right outside. Easily accessible. You are exposed to people passing by, as the couches are in the first-floor lobby, but who cares? I tune out the public and get right to snoring. I do not snore, by the way — this is just an exaggeration. 

Lyceum Couch on Second Floor: 9/10

Whenever I finish my shift at the Children's Center at Woodside and don’t have the energy to walk back to my dorm, I make a detour to the Lyceum. I head upstairs to the small couch on the second floor and, after failing to do my work, fall asleep. The couch is really comfortable, and no one is in the Lyceum after 5 p.m. I did deduct one point simply because there was one time when a talk was being held on the first floor, which inconvenienced my napping. The view from the couch is also great. Underrated spot. 

Moore Third Floor Common Room: 8/10

Small table but very effective. Got the job done. I was able to rest my head fairly well and knocked out quickly. The lighting outside, once I woke up, provided me with a sense of comfort as well, so that was a nice bonus. Woke up with a lot of Vitamin D thanks to contributions from the sun rays. I am not giving it a nine or 10, though, because it is at a rather odd spot to nap in. I have been sleeping here since I was living in Moore during the summer, but now live in Tyler. So I don’t find myself going back to this place anytime soon. It is a really nice spot Moore residents should try out though if they ever get tired of sleeping in their dorm! For some reason. 

These are not all the areas I have napped in across campus, and I still have more to explore. My goal is to nap in every place on my bucket list: the cubicles in the Moss Quantitative Center, the Women's and Gender Center, and Queer Resource Center in Keefe Campus Center, C-level in Frost, and Chapin Lounge. Hopefully, I can inspire other nappers across campus to try out new locations.