Andrew Crighton
Editor-in-Chief
Being on a sleep schedule opposite the majority of the world has its benefits. For the past month or so, three to four days a week I am awake all night, go to sleep in the early morning and wake up in the late afternoon to start all over again.
I’ll be the first to admit that it also has serious disadvantages, to the point that it outweighs any positives. However, it has its moments as well.
The fast pace life that Americans live today has a lot of pressure associated with it. There is barely any time to stop and take a break, and often the break you do get in the day doesn’t live up to its potential.
Going to sit in the coffee shop for 30 minutes? Well you better catch up on emails. Going to eat lunch? You should probably get back to those three people who texted you trying to set up plans and appointments. There is rarely any time, when a break in the day is simply dedicated to just letting your mind wander.
You can do that at 3 a.m. though.
During the daytime you are always reminded of the things that you SHOULD be doing. There are people all around, being productive citizens. Animals move around reminding you that it’s really time to work, not relax.
But when everyone else has been asleep for at least five hours, the world is quiet and peaceful.
I’ve always found that I am most at peace with myself when I have been on horrendously backwards sleep schedules. My real world achievements didn’t necessarily follow on the same trajectory; but there is something to be said about having a clear and level head.
The only thing that could be better would be to have both at the same time. If anyone has figured out how to do that, then please let me know.
It’s a balancing act trying to maintain a productive lifestyle and a happy one. What I am still trying to figure out is which is the best method.
Is it better to dedicate certain days of the week, or weeks of the month to each part of your life; four days are for the real world, and the rest are for your head? Or try and manage both every day?
I don’t mean to make the impression that I can only work four days out of the week, god knows I don’t. What I mean is how many days out of the week do we dedicate to worrying about what society and our families expect from us and then when we decide to try and figure out what actually is worth putting passion and effort into.
Sitting on top of Red Hill at the pillars is one of my favorite things to do while the rest of the town sleeps. All of the traffic lights, LED billboards and lamp posts are the only things to keep you company from reality. Your only companion is your thoughts. If by chance you see another person near by or a lone car driving down the road, you should ask yourself why they defy the sleeping too. What in their life and their mind makes them keep a schedule contrary to the norm?
