Opinion: Nap Rooms Not for OU

Harvard is now looking for a new way to make their students more productive, but is it feasible? After a student petition on campus, Harvard Dean Evelynn M. Hammonds is now considering finding space for a nap room or area around campus. The logic behind the policy is that students are more productive when they get more sleep, a fact researched by Harvard Associate Professor of Psychiatry Robert Stickgold in Harvard Health Letter.In the issue, Stickgold lays out his argument that people should try to take 20-30 minute naps, claiming it improves problem solving, memory, learning and even creative thinking. The idea may be under consideration at Harvard, but universities elsewhere have already implemented the idea. According the Huffington Post, the University of Colorado, University of Texas and University of California-Davis have all created nap rooms.The basic argument seems to be sound, but what kind of effect would this policy have at Ohio University? The idea isn’t feasible here at OU. If there were a nap room created in Alden Library, it would be thoughtful, but who would clean the room? Exactly how clean would the room be? Not only would the cots, or beds, become more disgusting with age, but would people studying late night in Alden try to get a nap in? Or would it be those walking home from Court Street, or a native of Athens? After reading tweets from ‘OU Confessions,’ the fine students at OU know exactly what those beds will be used for.There are some ways to prevent these types of occurrences, like using a swipe machine by the door to ensure only students are able to access the room. But anything short of someone standing guard at all times simply would not suffice. Opposition to the idea of more naps is simply preposterous, but this is not the solution. Ultimately, the room itself defeats the purpose of what is supposed to help. A nap room would cause more distractions rather than helping productivity. This policy might be good for Harvard; Dean Hammonds is at least considering the idea. The idea is simply unfit for the Harvard on the Hocking.