Get Some Sleep by Kimberly

Get Some Sleep by Kimberly - September 2014 Scholarship Essay

As high school comes to a close and college quickly becomes a reality, teachers and counselors are overflowing with warnings and advice to be heeded as we embark on our higher education journey. They tell us time and again that we must learn how to study. They warn us that we will need to take control of our own educations, because college professors will take little interest in our success. They emphasize the importance of balancing our time, of effectively managing our money; they remind us that we must learn responsibility in the absence of our parents. No one will be there to hold our hands. But teachers and counselors fail to remind us of the one skill most crucial to success in college as well as life after college—sleep.

Sleep is a necessary prerequisite to success; it influences all other skills and habits that students need to do well in college. The University of Georgia Health Center reports that most college students get around 6 to 6.9 hours of sleep on average each night, a number that is significantly lower than the recommended 8 hours. Such sleep deprivation interferes with the ability to function effectively throughout the day, damaging success in a myriad of ways. The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School states that research has shown links between sleep and memory; sleep is a key component in remembering the things we’ve learned, as well as our ability to form new memories. Although many students deprive themselves of sleep out of seeming necessity for more study time, studying is more efficient if brain function is at optimal levels. The need for studying would be significantly reduced if students’ memories were not hampered by lack of sleep.

Research also indicates that sleep deprivation interferes with judgment and decision-making, meaning that the skills so often stressed upon entry into college—responsibility, management of time and money—would be enhanced by getting a sufficient amount of sleep. Sleep also improves mood and health, allowing for a better overall quality of life and diminishing unnecessary hindrances as students strive to achieve success. Being well-rested is the necessary first step to caring for oneself and paving the way for optimal academic achievement.

College is a time when young adults begin to develop habits and rhythms, a time when students learn how to function without the help of parents. Recognizing the importance of being well-rested and knowing when to put the notes away and turn out the lights is vital to reaching maximum academic potential. Students have spent the last four years learning study techniques. They will learn time management and budgeting the hard way, if they have not already. Responsibility will come. But none of these things can be done effectively if students are not awake and alert, prepared for whatever college has in store.