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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

I was first introduced to the concept of siesta time when I went to diabetes camp for the first time. Diabetes camp as I knew it was located in Rush, New York on Camp ASPIRE’s campgrounds and ran as a sleep-away camp during the summer for type-one diabetics aged seven to 17. There were also some older type-one diabetics there as counselors and staff.

Siesta time was an event on the schedule every day. When I first went to diabetes camp, seeing “Siesta” as an event on the daily schedule, made my 12-year-old self a little confused and sensing I missed something, especially since I had just finished my first Spanish class in seventh grade. Siesta time usually occurs during the afternoon. Although I am not an expert, it is a common practice in Spain, where most restaurants, shops, and workplaces close from 2-5 p.m., so that everyone can take a nice nap or have downtime during the day. During camp, kids would take naps, color, write, or read. There was always a general consensus to be quiet and let everyone use the time however they felt was best, even if we occasionally cut it short to have a relaxed chat in the common room of the cabin. I loved siesta time after the first couple of days. This was partly because the first time we had siesta time was the first time I got to be alone since arriving, and I did not enjoy the feeling of homesickness. This quickly changed as I got more accustomed to sleepaway camp, and I began looking forward to the peaceful hours siesta time was guaranteed to have every day. 

Don’t get me wrong, I loved all the camp activities and daily schedules. Siesta time just provided a lot of benefits. It was guaranteed peaceful time for a few hours during incredibly activity-filled days, and also generally seemed to help with my health, especially with regards to the diabetes side of things. It is something I struggled to do in middle and high school because of the rigid scheduling that didn’t often allow for a quick nap during the day. My first year at college allowed me to start implementing siesta time, with scheduled naps or downtime during the day, but I struggled to take naps. 

Over this past summer, siesta time started to exist in my life again although it was usually a little later than 2-5 p.m. I definitely enjoyed having nap time and reaped in the benefits of my beloved quiet time or nap time depending on the day. Siesta time is also something I am hoping to start up this year. Unfortunately, I have always been the type to struggle to take naps during the semester while classes are in session. However, classes and getting back into the swing of things have definitely been a little chaotic. Siesta time tends to go alongside a lot of benefits, even if I decide to not nap and do a quiet activity instead. I’d definitely encourage giving siesta time a try if you haven’t already!

Ella is a new writer/member of the St. Bonaventure Her Campus Chapter. She plans on writing pieces that cover music, literature, TV and Movies, and the happenings of her life here at SBU. Ella is a sophomore Adolescent Education Major with a concentration in English. She enjoyed doing New Visions Education during her senior year of high school, which gave her a small experience of observing middle and high school classrooms. She has enjoyed exploring all of the clubs and opportunities SBU has to offer, and continues to do so by joining Her Campus, volunteering at the SPCA, and as a member of the Bonaventure Education Association (BEA). Outside of classes and Her Campus, Ella can be found studying, reading, or outside soaking up the sun (whenever it’s an option to “photosynthesize”). Ella also loves chatting with friends as a part of her not-so-quick study breaks.