When the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) closed the doors to the lounge in the Shatner University Centre, they took away more than a faculty-free place to study—they took away the prime napping location on campus. While students involved in clubs with offices can sneak in a mid-day snooze on their private couch spaces, the rest of the student body is now even more hard-pressed to find a spot to get in the extra z’s needed to fulfill the doctor-recommended seven to nine hours of sleep. During the summer it was easy to curl up on Lower Field and double dose on sleep and vitamin D, but given the extreme weather warnings, other options are needed for sleep-deprived students. Read on for five alternative places to grab a quick nap on campus.

1. Arts Lounge

The Arts Lounge, located in the basement of Leacock, is a well-known spot for studying during the week and, more importantly, for Bar des Arts (BDA) on Thursday evenings. It’s a perfect place to hang out, work, and nap because it’s generally quiet and provides relatively clean couches. The highlight of this nap space is that it’s not usually crammed with students, so you should be able to find a free couch on which to curl up. The con, of course, is that you need to be an Arts student to get into the lounge, but students from other faculties can always knock on the door and hope someone lets them in.

2. First floor of Birks

A little-known treasure to those outside the department of religious studies, the first floor of the Birks Building features a study area equipped with 8 couches and two comfy chairs. Because students are required to remove their footwear during the winter so as not to damage the marble floors of the building, you’re automatically assured the freedom of a shoe-free nap experience. During peak hours however, the couches fill up fast, and some students won’t take very kindly to you taking up a couch that could fit three people, so make sure you plan out your nap schedule accordingly.

3. Third floor of Morrice Hall

Despite being one of the most beautiful buildings on campus, Morrice Hall is an often-overlooked treasure-trove on campus. Aside from being home to Tuesday Night Café Theatre and the Islamic Studies Library, which is arguably the quietest and most visually appealing library on campus, it also features a prime nap space on the third floor. Space is limited, and the room can get overly warm during the winter, but because of the relative anonymity of this area you’re almost always assured a spot to snooze. 

4. McLennan HSSL – RM-07D

For those who don’t know, HSSL – RM-07D is the official name for the room in McLennan filled with bean bag chairs and no actual seats or desks. As a group study spot, it’s completely ridiculous and unhelpful, but as a nap room, it’s brilliant. Like all group study areas in McLennan, the bean bag room can be booked for 30-minute intervals throughout the day. This means you can schedule in a slot for a power nap at your convenience with the complete assurance that no one will bother you until the next appointment starts. Because the room has a door, you can also trust that none of your things will get stolen while you sleep. In terms of maximum efficiency and security, it’s really the only on-campus option.

5. Lobby of New Residence Hall

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and if sleeping in the lobby of a residence isn’t desperate, it’s hard to say what is. That being said, there are immense pros that come with sneaking in some shut-eye here. Because sleeping on the incredibly comfortable couches located in the lobby isn’t something most people would have ever considered, you’re always assured a couch. Moreover, because the lobby is a low-traffic area during the day given that most people are on campus or in their rooms, you’re less likely to be disturbed by someone than you would be if you were napping on the floor of McLennan. Win-win.