Sometimes ideas hit us when we least expect them…or want them.

By Ryan Snider, Staff Writer and Artist

Let’s set the stage.

There you are, climbing into bed. You have your Spiderman PJs on and you’re ready for a great night’s sleep. You pull the covers up and snuggle into position. Ah yes, so peaceful, you think to yourself. Just as you began to drift off into sweet, sweet sleep…WHAM.

Inspiration decides to hit you like a truck.

Suddenly, all you can think about is the newfound idea. Your mind races. Holy crap, this is the best idea ever, you think. Your eyes snap open, and suddenly your fingers itch to write the idea down.

But wait…

You’re all comfy in bed! You’d have to leave the warm, comforting bed for the cold, cruel world outside of the sheets.

No, no, no; it’s not worth it. You snuggle in again, trying to forget about the idea.

…

Who are you kidding? This idea is too amazing to not think about. You check the clock.

1:00 a.m! HOLY MOLY! You have class at 8 tomorrow morning. You have to go to bed. You try not to think about it, but that’s not gonna work.

You decide to risk it and hop out of the bed. You scramble over to the desk and scratch your idea out on the sticky note. 

You return to bed. You attempt to snuggle up, but you can’t. Your mind’s racing. The idea is too good. Try as you must; you just can’t stop thinking about it. 

Suddenly, before you know it, it’s 3 a.m and you aren’t getting any sleep anytime soon. Darn it.

End scene.

Inspiration seems to always strike at the most inopportune time. Which is almost always when we’re trying to sleep. This can be the absolute worst, but pretty much all my ideas have come about this way. So, I just have to roll with the punches. Or in this case, the sleep deprivation.