Bedtime is the best part of the day for one simple reason: sleep. Sleeping is so peaceful (unless you're having the same nightmare for the 100th time) because it gives your body the opportunity to rest after long days of working and studying. Some people don't need a lot of it to feel refreshed and energized for the hours ahead of them, but then there are some people, like me, who could literally sleep all day and still feel tired. I can take nap for two and a half hours and wake up ready to go back to bed. There are days where I feel like I have absolutely no energy to do anything, so I end up lying in bed all day falling in and out of sleep. While days like those are sometimes needed, they shouldn't be happening every day which is something I realized.

See, after one day of sleeping from about 12pm-11pm and crying because I literally wasted an entire day, it came to me that I needed to quit napping. How ridiculous does it sound to quit napping? You'd think someone who is tired 24/7 would need to sleep 24/7, right? Wrong. I decided to quit sleeping and start living. Sleeping is nice, but there's a reason we go to bed and have hours of the day to be awake. As I'm sleeping the day away I'm missing out on the beautiful sunshine and the atmosphere of a college campus. I'm rejecting the opportunities to get lunch with a friend or finish my homework the day before it's actually due. Napping throughout all hours of the day was the reason I was beginning to feel so crappy and constantly exhausted. Don't get me wrong, I'm still very tired but enjoying the weather that currently surrounds my city in the middle of the day is so worth it.

I have friends who will sleep until two o'clock in the afternoon and I can't help but feel bad for them and think about all they're missing out on as far as activities. Sleeping all day, going to work, and staying up all night isn't as grand as some may think it is. So many things aren't there for you to do at 2AM. Honestly, the only things available are a dead social media and lame infomercials on T.V., trust me, I've been there.

If you find yourself constantly wanting to sleep your day away just think of things that might motivate you to stay awake. My motivation is the sunshine and the thought of all the dogs I'm missing out on petting during the day. There are so many walking around campus with their owners! Dogs aren't walking around campus with their owners past midnight. Not to mention, Petland is only open until 9pm. Think of all the puppers that could be being pet while you're spending the day in bed.

Other than petting dogs, finding something to do with your day is key. If you feel like you have nothing to do to fill the time in the day, think of stuff! Volunteering is a great daytime activity to help you feel like you're really being productive. Giving back to the community can not only brighten your day, but other's as well! Instead of sleeping, be the reason a kid smiles or why an elderly person remembers how amazing life is. Life is amazing, and you can live a longer one by taking care of your body. Exercising is key to a healthy life and an overall positive outlook on it. Not to mention, if you decide to go run a mile, or two, or six, you'll have the perfect excuse for a nice hot shower and a quick 30-minute nap.

So there's my advice. Life is so short. We only get eighty years or so if we're lucky. Stop wasting your precious time doing something that adds nothing to your experience on Earth. I'm not saying never go to sleep, but I am saying sleep a little less and live life a little more. Time's ticking and you don't want your eyes closed the whole time, which reminds me of the time I rode Rockin' Roller Coaster in Disney World when I was ten and had my eyes closed the entire time. Fast forward to being thirteen and riding it again but with my eyes open. I realized how much I missed and how amazing it actually was. Take this story and apply it to your life. Stop closing your eyes and open them wide. Sleep less, live more.