IMU voted best place to lay your head

Along with having a social life, studying and sleeping rank high on collegiate "to do" lists. The University population has spoken, and the library and the Indiana Memorial Union have been ranked as the Best in Bloomington for studying and sleeping on campus, respectively.\nSitting in the lobby of the Herman B Wells Library, sophomore Katrina Babin simultaneously listens to her iPod and translates her Arabic homework as she waits for her professor.\n"I didn't come to the library at all before this semester," Babin says, "but now I come almost daily."\nShe says she attributes her change of heart to the fact that the library funnels out studying distractions such as the TV and AOL Instant Messenger, but not necessarily talking to friends.\n"I think people come here partially for the social aspect," she said, "knowing other people have the same goal of getting their work done. But sometimes I don't see a lot of studying going on."\nFreshman Devon Springer comes to the library with fellow Foster resident Hilary Shafer, but says both come with the intention of studying.\n"It's just a good place to get away and not be interrupted," Springer says.\nReference assistant Melissa Van Vuuren says the library is such a popular study spot because it offers so many options for students, such as the possibility of group work in the Information Commons and the availability of quiet solo study space up in the stacks and in the Reference Room.\nVan Vuuren, who has worked at the Wells library for three semesters, says there is a definite trend in student study habits; the library is the most crowded during midterms and finals.\n"The beginning of the semester is really pretty slow," she said, "because the reality of classes haven't set in yet."\nBut by mid-November, the reality of classes have set in for freshman Tanetta Ranson, who normally studies on the fourth floor of the West Tower, but studies her X100 textbook in the lobby as she waits for a fellow classmate to meet up with her to go over key terms for her test Monday.\nVan Vuuren said one of the library's best-kept secrets is the classrooms on the fourth floor, which are not available to students while classes are in session, but are free for students to use any other time.\nBut long hours at the library can lead to study breaks which include naps. While Babin, Springer and Ranson all said they never sleep while hitting the books, there are many who do.\n"Sometimes I look out (from behind the reference desk) and see students stretched out over a couple of chairs and I think, 'Hmm, I wonder if I should wake them up.'"\nAccording to The National Sleep Foundation Web site www.sleepfoundation.org, 53 percent of young adults admit to sleeping less to get more done. However, the Web site also says that short naps, while they don't make up for inadequate sleep, can improve student's dispositions.\nWhile many students choose to catch a few z's at the library and others stretch out in the halls of Ballantine, the Best of Bloomington "Best place to take a nap on campus" is the Indiana Memorial Union.\nWhen IMU custodial worker Ben Nix, begins his shift at 1:30 p.m. he said it is a daily sight to see students snoozing on the Union couches and chairs.\n"It's an everyday thing," Nix said.\nIt's such a popular place to catnap, alumni return to sleep at the union.\nJustin Franklin graduated in May, but he was snoozing at the IMU last week.\n"The couches are pretty comfy," he said, "but they're limited in quantity."\nWhile a student, Franklin said he was prone to taking the occasional nap on campus, and tested locations such as the library and Dunn Meadow on nice days, but decided his favorite location was the IMU.\nSome more self-conscious students might be uncomfortable with the idea of napping in public, but Franklin said that never stopped him.\n"I usually nap when I've stayed up too late the night before," he said, "and if I'm tired, it's usually in everybody's best interest if I get a nap"