Imagine this: You’re a college student, it’s roughly 2:30 p.m. and you haven’t had a chance to grab coffee all day. Maybe you have, but that jolt of caffeine only lasted so long and here you are, stuck in that afternoon lull of sleepiness. Home is roughly a 20-30 minute drive if you’re a commuter, and the dorms are so far across campus that it wouldn’t even be worth it to stop in, nap for ten minutes, and have to get back up. But what if there was a place on campus, specifically your Student Union, where you could nap anytime you want during the day? Better yet, imagine you could nap in luxury conditions, without noise or lights bothering you? Imagine a place to sleep without having to drive home, or without your dorm roommate walking in and turning on the lights, accidentally waking you, and apologizing profusely before you realize that you are unable to fall back asleep. This place can be a reality with Modern-Serenity, a company recently covered in a Huffington Post article.
What is Modern-Serenity? Glad you asked! It is a company that installs futuristic, state of the art sleep-pods in Student Unions for campuses around the country. Founded in 2012 by two university students, Lauren Acevedo and Kenneth Aguilar, the organization has made waves in the past three years with their revolutionary ideas. The company is a 501(c)(3), meaning it is a nonprofit. Now, I’m sure you’ve seen “sleep pods” used before, but unlike the most commonly used ones which only cover your head, these “peace pods” give full physical privacy, enveloping your entire body and shielding it from outside forces. They also differ from stand alone sleep pods on other college campuses, such as UC Berkeley, as they are fully monitored by a set staff. This is to ensure that only one person is using each pod at a time, otherwise it would be reported to the University and the student in violation would be stripped of their rights to use the machines.
The pods are extremely cleanly, as they are fully sanitized after each use. These are also only for daytime use, and only up to 2 hours per person, as this is strictly a nap station, and not to be confused with an overnight setup. This seems too good to be true, right? There has to be a catch. Well, there isn’t! This would not raise tuition fees at all for students, as it would be counted into the university fees they already pay. Lockers will also be provided for students with backpacks/personal belongings, so they can fully relax and utilize the pods to the best of their ability without worrying about theft.
These peace pods are incredibly important for tired, overworked college students. Those that attempt to drive home could potentially crash in they’re half asleep behind the wheel of a car. Not only will they improve safety, but more sleep and mid-day naps improve academia, mood, memory, and overall performance as a student. Most students do not get the correct amount of sleep in the midst of their studies and midterms, but a poor night’s sleep without a nap in between can severely affect how well someone does in school, and even their overall collegiate experience. The founders will eventually offer students added benefits, like discounts on items from their sponsors that students typically use. How can you be apart of this amazing sleep revolution? Well, the founders can’t begin to extend their pods to more Universities until their kickstarter campaign takes off. So, if you’re a fan of naps, good health, and the sleep revolution, please visit their kickstarter page to help this dream become a reality: https://www.generosity.com/education-fundraising/modern-serenity/x/14665835
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