All high school students have had that moment when we begin to drift off in class. We had a long night before doing homework, working on that project we may or may not have procrastinated on, or studying.

Then we end up going to bed either late or not at all.

Teachers expect us to be awake while they are teaching, but I say if the lights are off, you can drift off. Once it’s dark, your body decides “well, you didn’t get enough sleep last night, and it’s dark in here so put your head on your hand and grab a couple of zzz’s.”

Once that head hits that hand, forget about staying awake because once you are comfortable, your eyes just shut.

Let’s make a deal. Teachers, if I fall asleep in class, you have the right to mess with me. Here’s a few ideas.

• Everyone in the class leaves, then say to me “Sweetie, it’s time to get up for school.”
• Or write on the board “The year 4206, you have been sleeping for over 2,000 years. We have been able to keep you safe for this long, but they are coming. Trust no one and run.”
• Tie my shoes together, and watch me stumble around when I get up to walk.
• Start stacking things on top of me like, books, folders, or binders until I wake up.
• Slam something as hard as you can on a table/floor to wake me up. 
• Yell out really loud, “Sean, there is someone on the phone for you!”

Teachers, please don’t threaten detention for sleeping in class.  It’s not the students fault they had to finish homework. No matter how hard a student can try to stay awake, their body will eventually take over. Just have fun with them.

They might be embarrassed, but they will laugh at it later.