2008 Woodie Awards
Students study hard in preparation for finals. Or maybe not.
Mike Anderson
Issue date: 6/16/08 Section: Features
With his books on the second floor of the library, a De Anza College student prepared for his next class, asleep.
Dan Nguyen, 20, a biochemistry major, is taking 20 units and working part time. He said he usually gets only five hours of sleep at night.
Nguyen is one of many college students who do not receive enough sleep, according to a recent study published in the Journal of American College Health.
Nguyen said he drinks coffee and energy drinks in the morning and has to take "three to four naps every day."
Belma Halilovic, 19, a microbiology major, is a second-floor regular. Slumped over her papers because she had to wake up for an 8 a.m. bus to school, Halilovic said she notices a difference in class when she is not rested.
Central Michican University alumna LeAnne Forquer conducted the study after having sleep trouble of her own.
She found the number of students who suffered the same problems as her interesting.
Jay Baker, a librarian at De Anza, said he takes pity on the tired students.
"We're supposed to wake them up," he said.
However, he thinks it is too cruel and does not usually enforce the rule.
Ryo Goto, 22, an international affairs major, said he comes to the same station in the "silent zone" section of the library almost every day.
But twice he was found using his laptop as a pillow while listening to headphones.
"I cannot focus if I don't take rests," he said, three hours before his incomplete essay was due.
Goto said that after a 10-15 minute rest, he could finish the essay in one hour. He had been "working" on it for three hours already.
Baker said he used to work at an unnamed library in southern California where a man once fell asleep in the middle of an aisle. Patrons simply stepped over him.
The study also suggested that driving ability and safety decreased with a lack of sleep, putting college students at a high risk of having car accidents.
Snoozing at another table on the library's second floor was Aisheng Peng, 20, a business major. His pillow of choice was his math book.
Peng said he was tired because of church activities the night before. He said he recognizes the risk of driving while tired and tries to avoid it.
Mike Anderson is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact him at mikeanderson@lavozdeanza.com.
Dan Nguyen, 20, a biochemistry major, is taking 20 units and working part time. He said he usually gets only five hours of sleep at night.
Nguyen is one of many college students who do not receive enough sleep, according to a recent study published in the Journal of American College Health.
Nguyen said he drinks coffee and energy drinks in the morning and has to take "three to four naps every day."
Belma Halilovic, 19, a microbiology major, is a second-floor regular. Slumped over her papers because she had to wake up for an 8 a.m. bus to school, Halilovic said she notices a difference in class when she is not rested.
Central Michican University alumna LeAnne Forquer conducted the study after having sleep trouble of her own.
She found the number of students who suffered the same problems as her interesting.
Jay Baker, a librarian at De Anza, said he takes pity on the tired students.
"We're supposed to wake them up," he said.
However, he thinks it is too cruel and does not usually enforce the rule.
Ryo Goto, 22, an international affairs major, said he comes to the same station in the "silent zone" section of the library almost every day.
But twice he was found using his laptop as a pillow while listening to headphones.
"I cannot focus if I don't take rests," he said, three hours before his incomplete essay was due.
Goto said that after a 10-15 minute rest, he could finish the essay in one hour. He had been "working" on it for three hours already.
Baker said he used to work at an unnamed library in southern California where a man once fell asleep in the middle of an aisle. Patrons simply stepped over him.
The study also suggested that driving ability and safety decreased with a lack of sleep, putting college students at a high risk of having car accidents.
Snoozing at another table on the library's second floor was Aisheng Peng, 20, a business major. His pillow of choice was his math book.
Peng said he was tired because of church activities the night before. He said he recognizes the risk of driving while tired and tries to avoid it.
Mike Anderson is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact him at mikeanderson@lavozdeanza.com.
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