For dancers and members of certain committees, the plan for THON weekend is pretty straightforward: 46 hours (or more) will be spent on your feet inside the BJC. For the rest of us, THON weekend can be a balancing act, with different org members juggling different schedules. Very often, org members find themselves with just a few hours between shifts at the BJC to rest and recuperate.

So — what’s the best way to spend your sleep shift? Although there is one obvious answer (sleep), sometimes the most challenging thing about being in the BJC isn’t actually the lack of sleep, but the noise, food options, and lack of a proper bathroom. Even though you can technically create a makeshift shower in the BJC bathrooms, we don’t recommend it.

Thus, I write this colum in defense of one activity in particular: the mid-THON shower. After covering THON for Onward State for three years, I can definitively say that taking a shower during at least one of your sleep shifts will greatly improve your mood and outlook when you return to the BJC. Although it may be a struggle after standing in the BJC for hours, I suggest showering right after your shift ends before you fall into bed for a few hours. Not only will you feel refreshed and clean in your bed, the warm water will help you sleep (which can be a game changer when you’re trying to fall asleep in the middle of the day when it’s bright outside).

Showering before or after you get some shut-eye tricks your body into thinking it’s just another day at the office. When you return to the BJC, it will feel like a whole new day even though it’s only been a few hours. And of course, taking a shower before you return to the BJC helps keep your org’s section smelling fresh. There is nothing worse than having to stand next to someone who smells like body odor for 24 hours.

If your stomach is having a tough time coping with the food options at THON, another good move may be to make yourself a quick meal at home before returning to the BJC. Endless amounts of soft pretzels and personal pizzas can add up quickly and hurt both your body and your bank account.

Although your first instinct may be to crash on your bed and sleep for as long as you can, taking an hour to take care of your hygeine and diet may actually be what helps you get through that next shift the most.