The College Fix

Snooze stations on campus a growing university trend nationwide

ANN ARBOR – At one point a section of Shapiro Undergraduate Library at the University of Michigan hosted a swath of study tables.

No longer.

They were removed and replaced with a $10,000 futuristic napping pod, because today’s college students apparently deserve to doze off in style and comfort.

Gone are the days when resting one’s head in the nook of a book passed for a study break.

Universities across the nation have been experimenting with stations for students to take naps while studying. Among campuses testing this new fad is the University of Michigan.

Last spring before finals, six vinyl cots were placed near study tables in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library, which is open 24/7 and is a primary study spot.

The cots, each with their own disposable pillowcases, were open to all students on a first-come, first-served basis, with 30-minute maximum nap allotments.

The sleeping stations were reportedly the idea of engineering student and Central Student Government representative Adrian Bazbaz, who noticed students dozing off while studying in the library and decided to take action.

“The purpose for all of this is first to offer people who are tired a space where they can actually go and rest, and the second part is to really raise awareness of how sleep deprivation has such a negative impact on health overall,” Bazbaz said, according to The Associated Press.

However, in August the Shapiro Library transitioned from cots to a MetroNaps Energy Pod. 

Before the cots and pod were installed, study tables took up the space now being used for the single pod, which is currently draped with caution tape and a sign indicating the pod is not yet ready for use.

When asked why the cots were gone, a Shapiro librarian told The College Fix that they were removed because the fire marshal didn’t like them. He also said the reason the pod was not available for use yet is because the library is awaiting the fire marshal’s approval.

The librarian expressed concerns about the original napping cots being unsanitary.

According to TIME, the futuristic-looking pod in the library carries a price of between $9,995 and $12,985 depending on the included features. The pod has a rotating dome for privacy and a chair that elevates nappers’ legs. The pod also allows users to customize their nap cycle and listen to music as the pod vibrates.

Both the librarian in charge of library furniture setup and the Central Student Government at the University of Michigan failed to respond to emailed inquiries by The College Fix to say who paid for the pod.

The MetroNaps Energy pods are also popular at Savannah College of Arts and Design’s multiple campuses, as well as at Saint Leo University in Florida, TIME reports. Other, more affordable variations of the napping pods have been installed at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The popularity of napping on the campus of James Madison University led to the school to expand its “Nap Nook” room, which includes six giant beanbags and two white noise machines for nappers’ comfort.

TIME also notes that the University of Texas-Austin, University of California-San Diego, UC-Santa-Barbara, UC-Davis, and Macalester College make Google Maps available to students, showing where the best places to nap on campus can be found.

College Fix reporter Derek Draplin is a student at the University of Michigan.

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IMAGES: Derek Draplin