My interpretation of dreamers

Sleep is the quintessential anti-thesis of achievement. None in Human history have left a mark due to their lassitude (except Rip-van-Winkle and Sleeping beauty, but they are fictional). The insomnia that many 'Greats' suffer is legendary. Napoleon would barely sleep when he was at war(which often was for years together). Even Karnad lucidly describes Tughlaq's maddening insomnia which causes him to say:

Sweep your logic away into a corner, Barani, all I need now is myself and my madness—madness to prance in a field eaten bare by the scarecrow violence.

IITs are full of young minds raring to achieve. If there is one common thread which binds all students of IIT, it is the sense of achievement. The achievement of looking at the result of the exam-whose-name-must-not-be-said and exulting in ones triumph. And they know they did not achieve this by sleeping. God (and all the gossiping Aunties of the colony) are the sole witness to the self-flagellation that is required for this exam. I still remember clearly the EXACT 6 hours of luxurious sleep I used to permit myself. This was forcibly increased to 7 hours by my mother towards the end of my preparation. It had its desired effect. I performed decently.

I don't intend to indulge in self-glorification through this post. Rather, my aim is quite the opposite. Once these sleep-deprived, weary-eyed chaps come into the hallowed institutes, they promptly (and quite literally) go to sleep. There are records set by people which would shock freud to think of an alternate world we exist in during our torpid behaviour. I was a proud record holder in my freshman year (17.5 hours) until it was surpassed by a bigger bum (19 hours). And may I explicitly state that these are not alcohol-induced or drug-induced stupors. Quite simply put, we were taking Dr. Kalam's statement, "Dream of a new India", literally.

Even in the institutes, students who sleep marginally(1-2 hours) less than the average(8-10 hours), are the achievers. These are the guys who find time for sports, music drama and academics. But these guys are rare and are worth their weoght in gold. This article deals with the majority of forlorn characters whom one would find around every other corner. Also, I have heard from my friends in their fledging careers and experienced myself (During ITC training), the return to insomnia. Our sleep patterns go back to the standard 6 hour a day. It seems that the fire of achievement is rekindled in every soul who leaves the not-so-comfortable hostels.

I guess by now the reader( yes, that is you my dear fella) would've realised the point I am driving at(or so i hope). The academic "grinding" of the 'Nation's premier institutes' is barely a challenge to any of its students. They would rather choose between curricular and extra-curricular activities. Rarely do both of them co-exist. It is either curriculars+sleep or extra-curriculars+sleep. But sleep/slumber/siesta/naps are irreplaceable. Exam-induced insomnia is an exception at times, but they occur for exactly 40 days in the whole year(and that too not for all). Add to this the 'necessary' dosage of intoxicants and you will get the sons of Dionysus. Therefore the ratiocination is that:

Man's response to challenges or the lack of it can be determined by his sleep patterns (Quote by 'yours truly', 2004).

P.S. The usage of complicated words is to help me imbibe them into my vocabulary