2008 Woodie Awards
Reflections: Mmm ... sleep ...
Maret Weinberger
Issue date: 11/12/03 Section: Opinion
It is 2:30 in the afternoon. The sun is shining cheerfully outside, but my shades are closed. Rays of white light seep through, tempting me to go out and take a walk, but I can't. I'm exhausted.
Why are my eyes burning? Why is my body begging for rest? The pillow is calling my name, as an unknown force pulls me to my bed. I shouldn't be tired now. I woke up late and I have only gone to one class, yet my eyelids insist on closing; I try to resist. In a feeble attempt to awaken my brain I turn on the TV...a repeat of the Real World...a Spanish soap opera...Trading Spaces. I try to involve myself in something, anything because I shouldn't sleep now. I am not a lazy person. I would even go as far as to say that I am energetic. The guilt caused by my utter exhaustion envelopes me. However, guilt is defeated by the sandman. My eyes close...how can such a simple action cause such bliss?
I lie there with my eyes closed, relishing the feeling of complete surrender. For a few minutes my mind dwells in that place that we all know: that special zone between sleeping and waking. I hear my roommate come into the room. The quiet rustling sounds she makes combine and entangle with my dreams. In the back of my mind I can decipher her movements. She is getting into her bed. I listen to the rustle of her blanket and the thud of her drowsy head on the pillow. Am I dreaming, or is she also going to sleep in the middle of the afternoon? I do not stay awake long enough to find out. Without realizing it I drift into total unconsciousness.
Two hours later the phone rings, its piercing sound permeating my dreams. Panic surges through me. What time is it? How long have I been comatose? I beg my eyes to focus on the clock, completely unaware what time of day it is. It is 4:30. I haven't missed anything, except Camp Jim (which I watch religiously at 4:00).
I look over at my roommate who has disappeared under a mountain of blankets. As my brain begins to wake up I begin to contemplate the reason for these daily naps. It seems like many college students indulge in a siesta during the day. What is the reason for it? Maybe there are tranquilizers in the Stimson food.
As I am writing this reflection on sleep, my eyelids are drooping. I am sitting on my bed, but with each sentence I inch towards my pillow. I can't resist the temptation of lying down. So, before my words become incoherent... there is one more thing on my mind. As I drift off into oblivion I will say this: I realize that some of you were upset by my last article. But for those of you who understood my intent, and there were many of you, it was worth the risk. I promise that I won't lose any sleep over it. Sweet dreams.
Why are my eyes burning? Why is my body begging for rest? The pillow is calling my name, as an unknown force pulls me to my bed. I shouldn't be tired now. I woke up late and I have only gone to one class, yet my eyelids insist on closing; I try to resist. In a feeble attempt to awaken my brain I turn on the TV...a repeat of the Real World...a Spanish soap opera...Trading Spaces. I try to involve myself in something, anything because I shouldn't sleep now. I am not a lazy person. I would even go as far as to say that I am energetic. The guilt caused by my utter exhaustion envelopes me. However, guilt is defeated by the sandman. My eyes close...how can such a simple action cause such bliss?
I lie there with my eyes closed, relishing the feeling of complete surrender. For a few minutes my mind dwells in that place that we all know: that special zone between sleeping and waking. I hear my roommate come into the room. The quiet rustling sounds she makes combine and entangle with my dreams. In the back of my mind I can decipher her movements. She is getting into her bed. I listen to the rustle of her blanket and the thud of her drowsy head on the pillow. Am I dreaming, or is she also going to sleep in the middle of the afternoon? I do not stay awake long enough to find out. Without realizing it I drift into total unconsciousness.
Two hours later the phone rings, its piercing sound permeating my dreams. Panic surges through me. What time is it? How long have I been comatose? I beg my eyes to focus on the clock, completely unaware what time of day it is. It is 4:30. I haven't missed anything, except Camp Jim (which I watch religiously at 4:00).
I look over at my roommate who has disappeared under a mountain of blankets. As my brain begins to wake up I begin to contemplate the reason for these daily naps. It seems like many college students indulge in a siesta during the day. What is the reason for it? Maybe there are tranquilizers in the Stimson food.
As I am writing this reflection on sleep, my eyelids are drooping. I am sitting on my bed, but with each sentence I inch towards my pillow. I can't resist the temptation of lying down. So, before my words become incoherent... there is one more thing on my mind. As I drift off into oblivion I will say this: I realize that some of you were upset by my last article. But for those of you who understood my intent, and there were many of you, it was worth the risk. I promise that I won't lose any sleep over it. Sweet dreams.
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