Cal State LA has a new way of combating exhaustion on campus: relaxation pods.
The three pods are over four-feet in length and feature a Cal State LA logo on the side. The pods retail at $13,000 each, though the university did not disclose how much they paid through “student-union fees.”
The company Metronaps, who produced the machinery, has delivered relaxation pods globally for over a decade.
To use the pods, you must make an appointment at the front desk of the University Student Union (U-SU) and meet two requirements: have a student ID card and be able to log into your Golden Eagle Territory (GET) portal. Once the appointment is made, the building manager walks you to your pod and explains how to work the machine. Atmospheric volume adjustments, a clock, lights and a vibration button are all included in your 20-minute session.
“You see people napping everywhere. This is kind of convenient. It’s a twenty minute nap, but it’s kind of nice to be able to have a space during the day,” said Eileen Morales, a manager at the U-SU.
U-SU officials stated in an email that students requested “sleeping pods” or designated sleeping areas during Mind Matters Town Hall sessions (now called Mind Matters Roundtables).
They continued, “In addition, requests for relaxation pods also came from student leaders, ASI members, students and staff members through a number of focus groups held during the University-Student Union’s (U-SU) strategic planning process in 2017-2018.”
