Shut-eye on the sly

By Ashley Waxman '07

Research suggests that napping aids learning. So if you're spending a long day on campus and need a break, we've got some sweet spots for you to grab some shut-eye.

In our quest for the perfect spot, we looked for areas that offer comfort, warmth, quiet and solitude. We found five nap-friendly campus sites:

• Sculpture garden outside Rolfe Hall

  Near the Northern Lights coffee shop is a garden hideaway behind Rolfe Hall that features Robert Graham sculptures — a lovely spot for a recharge.

• Sunset Canyon Recreation Center

  All that grass by the pool makes for a soft landing on those summer days when campus fun gets to be a bit too much.

• Powell Library

  This is, of course, nap central for Bruins. With so many people sleeping on a regular basis inside this famous building, Powell must be a good nap spot. The extreme quiet, air conditioning and multitude of benches make the inside of the library a perfect place to snooze.

• Grassy hill between Bruin Walk and Janss Steps

  It lacks solitude, but here's an open-air place where, surrounded by trees and students reading or napping on blankets, you can watch the world go by — and dream about it, too.

• Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden, North Campus

  The university's iconic five-acre garden has a serene, intimate feel with more than 70 sculptures to admire. Fourth-year history student Steve Klosterman says, "I know I can get a good rest in the Sculpture Garden. It's so quiet and comfy." Find one of the many stone benches scattered about and let yourself be engulfed by the sun overhead, blooming trees all around, and fresh grass underfoot. And if the kids are too antsy to sleep, there's plenty for them to look at while you doze off.

So there you have it, our top picks for a quick way to power up. And if they don't work? Well, you can always stop by Kerckhoff Hall and grab a cappuccino or two.

Published Jul 1, 2007 8:00 AM