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After leaving the college world and entering the “real” world, there’s one thing most of us love above everything else. Well, not sex. I mean, that’s true, but that’s not what I’m talking about. Or vacation days. Or a nice charcuterie board paired with some delicious wine all on your parents’ bill. No, what I’m talking about is, of course, sleep. Considering that we long for naps, another five minutes in the morning, or the occasional “going to bed a 9 p.m.” weekends, it’s easy to say shut-eye is one of our favorite things.
Still, not all sleep is created equally. And nothing can ruin your perfect 8 hours quite like a nightmare. But the things that used to be scary (missing a test, showing up at school naked, quicksand) don’t exactly cause us to wake up in a cold sweat anymore. These seven dreams, however, are sure to give even the boldest folks the heebeegeebees.
The “I’m Still With My Ex” Dream
Easily one of the worst dreams you can have, especially on the heels of a breakup, dreaming that you’re still with your person is brutal. It’s like your mind’s own twisted form of subconscious hell. There you are, hand-in-hand with the person you love, kissing them on the forehead or laughing as you walk into the sunset and then BAM! You wake up to find yourself cold, alone, and sleeping diagonally in the bed. Bonus points if you send them a regretful half asleep/have drunk “I miss you” text immediately upon opening your eyes. Not to quote the great John Mayer, but “when you’re dreaming with a broken heart, the waking up is the hardest part,” ya feel?
The “My SO Left, Cheated, Hurt Me” Dream
It doesn’t matter how stable of a relationship you are in. Hell, you don’t even have to be in a relationship for this one to fuck your day up. Dreaming that the person you love, secretly love, could maybe love, or love from afar cheats on you/hurts you/leaves you is easily one of the most painful dreams. You wake up disoriented and suspicious even if you have a literal display case with his ball on your living room shelf. Just me?
The Offspring Dream
For some people, having a child would be a blessing. For others, it’s a curse. Whether you wake up relieved that you’re still baby-less or bummed that there’s no infant in your life, dreaming that you have a baby makes for a hard slap in the face when you wake up to your child-free reality.
The “Something Weird Happened With A Family Member” Dream
Okay, this one is easily one of the hardest to overcome. I don’t mean you fucked a family member in your dream. But I also don’t not mean that, you know? Maybe your mom cheats on your dad. Maybe your dad turns into a dick and hits you. Maybe your brother comes on to you. Whatever it is, it’s twisted. And it makes it impossible to speak to said person for a while until you get those horrific images out of your head. Plus, these usually thoroughly convince you that you have deep psychological problems of which you’re trying to repress. Nbd.
The “Someone You Love Died” Dream
I mean, come on. This one needs no further explanation. In your dream you get the call, you feel the grief, you eventually come to acceptance, only to wake up and realize — shit. They’re still alive. Or, I mean, I guess if you love your family it’s a relief, but still. It’s an emotional fucking rollercoaster and usually ends with you calling your parents and telling them you love them “just because.”
The “Anything Involving Your Pets” Dream
Whether it’s dreaming that your childhood dog that got put down last month is still alive, or something brutal happens to your rescue (#AdoptDontShop amiright?), the sheer thought of an animal you love being in pain is just about as bad as things can get. It’s like how in a movie if a person dies it’s whatever but if a dog dies it’s blasphemy? The same principle applies to dreams. Except in this situation, you don’t have the crooks in Hollywood to blame, just your own, fucked up mind.
The “You Have A Shitty Job And Wonder If You’ll Ever Live Up To Your Potential” Dream
Oh, wait. This one might not be so off base..
Image via Shutterstock
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Rachel Varina
if it doesn't have snack or seats, i'm not there. hate mail/Sunny references can be sent to itsrachelvarina@gmail.com
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@rachelvarina
Still have the “I forgot my class schedule” dream despite graduating almost 10 years ago.
Yup, “it’s finals day and I forgot I registered for calculus and haven’t gone all year.” Wakes me up in a cold sweat every time.
I have this same dream. It’s terrifying.
I have a reoccuring dream of myself, much older, driving a red convertible on the freeway in the mountains. While speeding, a hard turn comes up, and I smash through the guard rail and fly off the mountain. I wake up right before I crash into the ground.
Literally have had this exact dream at least 100 times.
Is it a Miata though
i’m not exactly sure what it is, can’t really make out the make/model, but it does seem bigger than a Miata. I’d like to think it’s a Corvette.
Gotta upgrade your dreams, get the Miata
“Going to prison” dream is always scariest for me
Duda I can’t see you doing well in prison
If I️ take a nap during the day, there’s a solid chance that I’ll have the same recurring dream where I️ realize that I️’m asleep but can’t force myself to wake up. Hard to describe but it’s like I️’m half awake trying to pry my eyes open and just can’t do it. So fucking terrifying. Idk why but I️ never have this dream at night, only if I’m trying to take an afternoon nap.
I think you might have sleep paralysis. It is indeed terrifying.
I️ think so too, but luckily if I️ do, it seems like a pretty mild case. Doesn’t happen very often and I’ve only experienced hallucinations twice (now THAT was some scary shit that I would not wish on my worst enemy).
I suffer from really bad sleep paralysis. Definitely sounds like it.
Same here, stopped taking naps because of it.
I get the same, it’s absolutely terrifying
I frequently dream that I’m still in high school and am ill prepared for all my classes.
This was dark as fuck. I’m not saying that i don’t have the occasional weird nightmare-ish type dream, but if you or anyone is repeatedly having dreams like these you may want to grab an 8th of mushrooms and head to the nearest state park to confront your dark side.
whoa, brutal read for a Friday afternoon….
You left out the reoccurring dream where you “wake up” realize you’ve forgotten to attend one of your classes for an entire semester and the day you could drop classes was the day before. I still have this dream 3 years out of college twice a year, right around the time you can no longer drop classes. Same two classes too, Math and journalism.
woah
My two most reoccurring dreams for either me sitting in my office having to deal with customers I have procrastinated dealing with in real life, or me back in high school playing baseball and forgetting a piece of uniform or equipment and freaking out in the pregame trying to get ready. Terrible way to wake up and face the day…