Blue Snooze helps beat mid-day slump

It’s crunch time in Ateneo de Manila University’s Loyola Schools (LS) and students are feeling the pressure of exams. Problem is, after an all-night cramming session, one wakes up grumpy, foggy and in dire need of some zzz’s. To help students get some shut-eye, the Loyola Schools Office of Guidance and Counselling (LSOGC) opened Blue Snooze, a napping station on campus.

Housed on the second floor of Social Sciences—in the Self-Care room of LSOGC—Blue Snooze has 10 large bean bags for students to use. The triangular leather bean bags can fit even tall and big students, says Ms. Chantal Ellis Tabo, a psychologist at LSOGC.

“Blue Snooze is for sleep-deprived students who need a short break or power nap to replenish their energy,” says Tabo, adding that the ideal nap time is 10-20 minutes.  “A huge number of college students are sleep deprived. It’s already a norm for them to sleep less than the appropriate number of hours for their age, which is 7-8 hours.”  Before Blue Snooze was opened, LS students, she says, resorted to taking naps in MVP org rooms, Matteo Ricci Hall and the Rizal Library.

Blue Snooze, in fact, was conceived after a group of students proposed the idea to an LS Guidance Counselor.

“There was a group of students who had a class project and they thought of a sleeping area for college students for their research project. They found that universities abroad provide a nap area for their students. They reached out to Ms. Kitz Ripotola and proposed the idea “says Tabo.  In a stroke of luck, a different office was conducting a survey and also saw the need for students to have an area where they can sleep.

 “Ms. Kitz proposed to the team to have a nap nook for students for promote a healthier well-being,” says Tabo.

Entering Blue Snooze, one can already feel that it’s a room for relaxation: softer lighting and comfortable bean bags. It is a technology-free space, making it the perfect spot to drift into a peaceful slumber away from the buzz of campus life. Students are encouraged to bring sleep masks, blankets, jackets and scarves to help them doze off.

Since its launch in September 2018, Blue Snooze has become a student's lifeline for a quick and natural energy boost.

Blue Snooze is open from Monday-Friday, 10 am-5 pm. Register at the LSOGC, Room 266, Social Sciences Building.