With endless time to catch up on sleep over quarantine, students all over the world dove into the world of dreams, and conjured up some crazy phenomenons.  Dreams occur during the Rapid  Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep.  While the body is sleeping, the brain never fully goes to sleep; instead it is constantly thinking and planning.  During REM sleep, the brain becomes more active, the body becomes more relaxed, eyes move more rapidly, and dreams are born.  Dreams are symbolic and may have important meanings behind them, relating to what is happening in life.

Sophomore Lyvi Hughes said, “I was in this dream where my friends were at a concert and none of them knew who I was and literally none of my family knew who I was. It was weird, but I went up to everyone that I knew and they were all weirded out because to them I was a stranger.” Dreaming about a concert could represent a particular activity that the dreamer wishes to partake in.  However, in dreams where family and friends don’t recognize or know a person, it can often refer to one not recognizing oneself. 

Among the most frequent dreams of teenagers, school often tops the list. Freshman Ella Searcey’s school dream was more like a nightmare. “I had a dream that I had a lot of missing assignments in Latin and I was really stressed out and failing.” While frequent, school dreams are often negative, bringing stress and anxiety.  Dreaming of failing a class is quite common among students, and even adults.  But what exactly does it mean?  Dreaming of failing often represents stress and a feeling of not being in control of life. 

Dreaming of oceans or bodies of water is another reoccurring dream for many.  Freshman Isabel Kern’s beach dream was no vacation. “I had a dream that I was at the beach with my family and a few friends, and I was in the water with my sister and I got bit by a huge shark.” Sharks can often contain several different connotations, such as anger, a deep emotional state, or challenges at home.  However, when dreaming of getting bitten by a shark, it can often represent confusion or loss.

Junior Tiyaja Walker dreamed about seeing a UFO. “In my dream, I saw a UFO and it was really big compared to everything else I was envisioning.  The dream was very lucid and I remember running into an old mansion then getting chased by an old woman.” Dreams with a lot of action like these are common, and are often packed full of meanings.  When looking at a dream, it’s best to look at the big picture.  When dreaming of being chased, it can often represent fear, hostility, or aggression.  In the real world, it can often mean that boundaries have been crossed or integrity has been compromised.  UFO’s can also represent a fear of the unknown.

Above all dreams, there are few that stick out and are likely to hit everyone at one point.  One dream, such as free falling from the sky, only to wake up moments before hitting the ground, is one of the most popular.  This dream corresponds to anxiety, and stress.  Another popular dream is a person losing teeth. This can relate to one’s physical appearance and insecurities.  So the next time you conjure up a crazy dream, write it down and see what your brain is trying to say.

For more information on the deeper meaning of dreams, click here.