Section C · Page 10
The University Daily Kansan
Friday, October 30, 1998
Burning midnight oil helps some bubble with more productivity
Late-night studying working sometimes helpful to students
By Becky Lake Kansan Correspondent
Late at night when many non-college students are asleep in their bed, some University of Kansas student are up burning the midnight oil.
There are many different reasons why people stay up until late hours.
"I just function better at night," said freshman Katie Bartlett, Wilmette, Ill., freshman.
Bartlett said she found that staying up late was more conducive to studying effectively, especially while living in a residence hall.
"It's a lot quieter at night," she said. "In the morning, everybody is up and usually playing their radios."
Nikole Rowe, Kansas City, Kan., freshman, said that if she was faced with a load of homework, she would rather tackle it later at night verses rising early in the morning.
"If I'm going to get less sleep, I'd rather do my homework when I'm already awake," she said.
Cassie Gilmore, Pittsburg, Kan. freshman, agreed.
"If I attempt to get up early in the morning, I'll put my work off and won't get it done," she said.
The extra hours of nighttime are
lifesawers for students who tend to procrastinate, especially during the week of midterms.
Overland Park sophomore Steve Scavuzzo pulled an all-nighter in order to study for his English midterm.
"I hadn't studied for my midterm yet, so I stayed up all night and drank coffee," he said. "If I need to get something done, I'll do it."
Scavuzzo's method of preparing for his midterm is not limited to just that midctic time of the year. He said he often went without a good night's rest and wasn't affected.
"Some nights I'll get two to three hours of sleep, and I can still function," he said.
Though staying up through the night can have its advantages, opposition with the rest of the working world can be uncomfortable.
Megan Bahm, Topeka sophomore works late as a resident assistant at Hashinger Hall. Although Bahm said she did not mind working late, she recognized the effect her hours had on her daytime schedule.
"Working late alters your sense of time. You don't work on the same time as the rest of mankind. I can't go to sleep before 3 a.m. anymore," she said.
Although some, like Bahm, become used to a consistent late night schedule, others simply have an ability to stay up late, or to naturally get up early. Physiology helps determine how long a person's body can last
"When you miss human sex class, you know your stuff is getting screwed up."
Lyle Dohl
Sylvan Grove sophomore
without sleep.
David Holmes, professor of psychology, described the process of the circadian rhythm, which dictates a person's sleep patterns.
"We all go through what's called a circadian rhythm. The day is organized on a 24-hour cycle but most people go on a 25-hour or more cycle," he said.
Holmes said that as the week progresses, the body's cycle gets thrown off later each day until the internal clock is reset, usually on Sunday.
"A person who is a 'morning person' probably has a shorter circadian rhythm," he said.
Lyle Dohl, Sylvan Grove sophomore, said missing class was the biggest indicator of how his lack of sleep negatively affected his life.
After working late as a resident assistant at Hashinger Hall, he said he sometimes would sleep through one of his favorite classes — human sexuality.
"When you miss human sex class, you know your stuff's getting screwed up," he said.
Elena Jolicoeur, an Overland Park freshman, gets checked into Hashinger Hall Tuesday night by Topeka sophomore Megan Bahm. Desk clerks perform many security procedures for residents halls when they are on duty. Photo by Christina Neff/KANSAN
Brad Laforge, Parsons first-year law student, pulls himself up on a pull-up machine. Laforge is one of many students who exercise at Robinson Center early in the morning. Photo by Augustus Anthony Piazza/KANSAN
Not every student hates early morning
By Melody Carter
Kansan correspondent
It is popular wisdom that typically college students dread mornings. At the University of Kansas and the majority of other universities around the country, students start their mornings traveling to class on foot, bus, car or bicycle.
"People look so funny when they have just woken up," said Anne Marie Kauffman, Overland Park freshman. "I see students wearing their pajamas to class and basically looking like zombies."
But many students adore the campus in the morning for reasons such as going to professors' office hours, walking dogs or visiting one of the campus' food services.
The residence hall cafeterias begin serving breakfast between 6:45 and 7 a.m. Wescoe Terrace, on the first floor of the Wescoe building, opens at 7:30 a.m., and the Union food services begin serving at 7 a.m.
"I sometimes like to buy coffee and a doughnut at one of the Union food stands shortly after it opens, because I have really early morning classes everyday," said Heather Harring, Salina freshman.
Other students take advantage of the morning to exercise at Robinson Center, which has weight equipment and a swimming pool available for student use from 6 to 8 a.m. Cassie Gilmore, Pittsburg, Kan., freshman, said she went to Robinson in the morning because it closed after its initial morning hours and did not reopen again until the evening.
Some individuals wake up early simply for the pleasure of being awake and completing tasks.
"The morning is a beautiful time," said Tyrone Seymour, San Diego sophomore. "I like to take all my classes in the morning so that I can be finished and have the rest of the day to do what I want."
Others,however,regretted their decision to enroll in morning classes.
"I should not have signed up to take my courses so early in the morning," said Laurette Book, Denver freshman. "Half of the time I abuse the snooze button on my alarm clock and do not roll out of bed until class is over. I should have known I was not a morning person."
On the weekends, the face of the campus changes as the number of students is reduced significantly. Many people go home, sleep in or engage in other activities.
"Weekday or weekend, when I arrive here at at 6:30 a.m., the campus is pretty much desolate," said Pam Manning, KU custodial worker for 17 years. "As time progresses, it eventually wakes up. The campus is like one of those flowers that close up at night, and in the morning, when the light hits, the laughter and daily rituals begin. I like to stop and look around."
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