Techniques for Sleeping in Class

Mack Lee, DiY/Guides Section Editor

At IMSA,  sleep deprivation will cause the need to sleep in class. This guide provides some tips on how you can sneak a few extra minutes of sleep in class. Don’t waste your time drifting to sleep and closing your eyes every half-second. If you need to sleep, sleep.

Disclaimer: If you get caught, Acronym staff is not responsible for your consequences. This article is for entertainment purposes only. Use at your own discretion/risk. It could be detrimental to your grade.

Difficulty Levels from 1-4 (From least difficult to most difficult)
-Difficulty is measured by the chance of successful execution

Risk = Low, Medium, High
-Risk is measured by the chance of being caught

Note: For all techniques, to avoid being compromised, do not sleeptalk, sleepwalk, or snore. In addition, make sure your neighbor won’t tell on you!

Technique 1 (One-handed Visor)
Materials: None
Difficulty Level: 4
Risk: Medium

1.) Pick a spot in the classroom in which the teacher does not move behind you or next to you (the edges work well)

2.) Place your hand on your forehead as if you were frustrated (with your elbow on the table), and tilt it to an angle so that you cannot see the teacher’s eyes.

3.) If you can’t see them, they can’t see you

Make sure you cannot see their eyes. To do this, test each eye by closing the other.

4.) Make sure you have good head support

When sleeping, your head will sometimes slip and move around while you sleep. Avoid this by bracing your elbow sturdily.

5.) Sleep tight!

Technique 2 (Two-handed Visor)
Materials: Handout and/or notebook, pencil
Difficulty Level: 3
Risk: Low

1.) Repeat step 1 from technique 1

2.) Place your elbows on the table, interlock your hands, and place them on your forehead with your thumbs on your temples. You’re essentially making a visor with both your hands. Make sure you cannot see the teachers’ eyes. Look down at your paper

3.) Make sure your elbows will not slip off the table and use step 4 from Technique 1

4.) Move your hands towards the back of your head while maintaining the lack of eye contact so it does not look obvious.

5.) Dream away!

Technique 3 (The Wall)
Materials: None
Difficulty Level: 3
Risk: Medium

1.) Sit somewhere in the classroom where the teacher only sees you from one side

2.) Take one hand and place it vertically on your cheek (the side that the teacher usually sees you from). Move it forward until you cannot see the teachers’ eyes. If needed, place the second hand on the other side for a different effect. You are shielding your eyes from the side, similar to the visor in Techniques 1 and 2.

3.) Test each eye by closing one and seeing if you can see the teachers’ eyes

Technique 4 (Chillin’)
Materials: Dark Sunglasses
Difficulty Level: 1
Risk: Low

Depending on the teacher, make sure this teacher will allow you to wear sunglasses in-class.

1.) Sit up straight and look like you are looking at the teacher.

Technique 5 (Laptop Freak)
Materials: Laptop
Difficulty Level: 2
Risk: High

1.) Place your laptop open in front of you

2.) Make sure the teacher will not see you as he/she walks around the classroom

3.) Place your chin onto the touchpad or under the keyboard

4.) Don’t let your head slip and catch up on sleep!

Technique 6 (Brave Soul)
Materials: None
Difficulty Level: <1

Risk: Beyond Imagination

1.) Think about your perfect world and personal fantasies and forget about school and sleep in whatever position you choose

2.) Don’t get expelled

Technique 7 (Medusa)
Materials: None
Difficulty Level: 2
Risk: Medium

1.) Pick a spot in the classroom that faces away from the teacher

2.) Make sure the teacher will not make a round or walk in front/to the side of you

3.) It is crucial that you have a sturdy head so that it will not tilt side to side/up and down

3.) Sleep away!

Technique 8 (Pencil Drop)
Materials: Pencil
Difficulty Level: 3
Risk: High

1.) Place your pencil on the ground

2.) Act as if you cannot reach the pencil and sleep with your head on the desk facing away from the teacher and your arm hanging downwards off the table

3.) Do not sleep for too long…

Technique 9 (Near-sighted)
Materials: Book/Handout
Difficulty Level: 1
Risk: Medium

1.) As you read the book/handout, lower your head so that it is close to and parallel to the table; however, make sure it does not come in contact with it or you will be compromised. If possible, angle your head so that your chin is closer to your neck, shielding your eyes.

2.) Move your eyes up to see if you can see the teachers’ eyes

3.) -_-

Technique 10 (Peek-a….Boo?)
Materials: None
Difficulty: 1
Risk: High

1.) Place your hands over your eyes as if you don’t want someone to see you or take a picture of you

2.) Zzzzzzz……

Technique 11 (Note-taking SIKE!)
Materials: Notebook, Pencil
Difficulty: 3
Risk: High

1.) Place your head sideways on the table facing away from the teacher

2.) Have your notebook next to you with pencil in hand.

3.) Pretend to write (try to write something so that you have a way out)

4.) Don’t let your pencil drop and dream well!

Now you have been provided with an arsenal of skills for you to catch up on sleep. Use this with caution and if you are caught, the consequences are severe. Please refer to the disclaimer at the beginning of the article.

Tired IMSA students: a typical scene