Being a sleep deprived college student is more than hard enough, but sometimes life throws curves to make sleep impossible. So here you'll find the 10 worst ways to wake up at 3 a.m. as told by a college student.
10. The loud noise of your drunk roommate and her friends coming back in, and then trying to blow up an air mattress
Bonus sound is when it deflates later in the night and they roll onto the floor, humorous on every level. This one is definitely more hilarious than inconvenient and since they have to put up with me on a daily basis I can’t complain at all. Even worse, the one time they let someone sleep in my bed. Dorm life won’t be easy, brace yourselves.
9. Flash Flood Warnings
Because it’s Charleston and that means frequent floods and the risk of being swept away fairly regularly. No, class won’t get canceled. Yes, you will have to swim to class. Invest in a wetsuit and maybe a nice canoe for your freshman year.
8. The sound of someone else’s dog barking
Not your own sweet, innocent little pup, but another somewhere off in the distance of your apartment complex who feels the need to sing the entire building the song of his people. But all dogs are guilty of this and I apologize to anyone who’s had to suffer through my dog’s cover of Adele’s “Hello."
7. A coworker calling to remind you that you owe them an 8 hour shift coverage and their 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. shift is now yours
Whether they were truly as sick as they say or preparing ahead for their imminent hangover, the world may never know…either way, the shift is yours. If only you’d known that before deciding to stay up until 2 a.m. and planning a beach day the next day.
6. The sound of your dog puking because it’s literally disgusting and also you just want to help them but how?
It’s not like you can hold back their hair and give them bread! It’s just so gross and you’re just hoping it didn’t puke in the bed. Again. Who let the dog eat grass? Because I will pull a Liam Neeson on you and find you. Let's hope it's just a hairball.
5. The painful roiling in your stomach that lets you know that indeed what you ate for dinner DID taste a little off and that in about 10 seconds you are going to be hit with the worst case of food poisoning you’ve ever imagined in your worst nightmares
I can almost guarantee it’ll happen at a very inopportune time like Christmas or New Year’s Ever (I wish I could say this wasn’t what happened to me). Next time just stick with Chipotle and don’t try the new Chinese place down the street. $3 sushi might not be your best call.
4. People texting and calling to send you unwanted pictures of your boyfriend being suspiciously ~shady~ during his year abroad
Thanks for that, it was hard enough to sleep knowing he was surrounded by eight gorgeous girls anyway. Nothing like a healthy dose of self- doubt and worry to start your Monday morning! I LOVE starting my week with paranoia! But his Instagram game was fire after that so I can’t complain! Get those followers, dude! Shady? Definitely, but I can't blame them. He's just incredibly attractive so of course, they want pictures with him! Get in line, sistas! What happens in Australia...stays in Australia?
3. Waking up to the reminder that you have a final at 8 a.m. that you forgot about
Totally forgot. Not even an “I didn’t study” type of studying. But really, you haven’t even cracked a book or glanced over a note. Now at 3 am you’re torn between waking up to cram for five hours or going back to sleep since the need for rest is supported by science. Since your exam is in Biology I’m sure the application of scientific research by sleeping a full 8 hours is much more important.
2. Your dad driving up in the yard when you realize you fell asleep at your boyfriend's house; what can I say?
There's no good defense! We drove through a hurricane and then he picked a boring movie? I never stood a chance, eight unanswered phone calls later my dad just went to get the answers himself and his honking the horn outside terrified me like you wouldn't believe. Half because we were watching a horror movie and half because I knew he'd never let me live it down! My life flashed before everyone's eyes.
1. Fire alarms going off from 2:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.!
Without a doubt, this is the most awful 3 am experience of a lifetime. Blaring alarms and angry college students yelling outside on the balcony quickly followed by the order to evacuate your apartment. When the water pipes burst in your building and you have to run down five flights of stairs carrying a 45-pound dog…well, it doesn’t get much worse than that. My tears added at least three inches to the water already flooding down the steps of my building. Hey, CCA, I'm still waiting on my free rent.
There you have it; it's not always easy to make it to your 8am lecture even on a regular day, but on these days it's honestly impossible. Just forget it and go back to sleep. You deserve it.
