A new club at the University of Wisconsin has only one requirement: All members must be tired.
UW’s new Nap Club was created by junior Kieran Furey-King as a place to relax, catch up on sleep and relieve stress.
The idea of Nap Club began with a conversation, Furey-King said. The idea was jokingly mentioned while talking about the commitment load of other student organizations, he said.
“I wanted to join another club, but nothing sounded like something I could commit to because my schedule is so busy,” Furey-King said. “That’s pretty much what gave me the idea.”
Furey-King said he encountered a “few minor obstacles” in the application process but he easily found three other students that were willing to join the club to meet the requirements to create it.
UW junior Sean Greene, another founding member, said he is really looking forward to having time to relax and take naps with friends. Greene said the best part about the club will be having the ability to nap during the day without any distractions.
Currently, Nap Club has only eight members, but Greene said he expects more people to join once the club holds its first few meetings and gains popularity. Both Greene and Furey-King said they are excited about this opportunity.
“I joined mostly because I just really like to nap, and I think this is a great way to do that during the day without anyone bothering you,” Greene said.
According to Nap Club bylaws, all students are welcomed to apply, except for “unnecessarily loud people.”
The group’s website says Nap Club’s vision is to produce “happy nappers” and improve students’ mental and physical health by providing a safe space for members to nap.
The first meeting was Wednesday at the Student Activity Center, Greene said. The meetings for nap club will typically be held at the SAC because it has quiet rooms available for student organizations to reserve, he said.
The “nap times” are likely to be more than once a week and may be “sporadic at times,” Greene said.
“We’re still in the early stages, so meetings might be tentatively set,” he said. “Once we get more organized, we will release more details to any students who want to join.”
Nap Club will provide rooms for napping at the SAC, but members will need to bring their own pillows and blankets to the first meeting, Greene said. One of the primary goals for the club is to acquire a pillow collection so members will not need to bring their own, Furey-King said.
Furey-King said he hopes Nap Club gives its members a chance to get some “much-needed rest” from the stress that comes with being a student.
