As a student-athlete, I’ve always been proud of my abilities. But there’s one skill of mine that blows the others out of the water: my ability to fall asleep anywhere at any time. I’d give myself the title of “Professional Napper,” and I’m here to share my top three places where I’ve caught some massive Z’s. 

Ranking #3: On the bus going to Northwood for a lacrosse game. Who needs all those pre-game jitters when you can snore your way to the match? Yeah, the bus ride wasn’t the comfiest with all the bumps and turns, but it definitely got the job done. Some of my teammates might have been worried about us losing, but I was more concerned about getting a good nap in before I screamed my head off. 

Ranking #2: The IB College Fair field trip. You’d think that looking at potential future colleges and universities would keep me awake. Not quite. Besides all the wonderful information I got from different schools, I managed to fall asleep during one of the seminars with my friend only to wake up nearly an hour later when it was time to go home. After we got on the bus, I eventually fell asleep on the ride home. I’d rate the experience a 7 out of 10. 

Ranking #1: The best place I’ve fallen asleep was the break room at my job. This one takes the cake, literally (I ate cake after I woke up). After a long shift of hosting birthday parties and setting people up for golf, I had to wait over an hour for a coworker to drive me home. I waited in the break room and decided to make the best of it. Although the chairs weren’t the comfiest, like most of the places I’ve fallen asleep, it was one of the best naps. My managers kept waking me up to see if I was alive. In the end, the $40 tip and piece of cake I awoke to made it even better. 

My ability to fall asleep anywhere has become a running joke among friends family and coworkers. It might not be the most impressive talent, but it does make me one of a kind. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll even get a certificate for it. 

(Photos by Roselle Dagdag and Hillary Juarez)