Okay, so, last night I had this crazy idea to try and, like, really dive into what it feels like to “dream about going to jail.” It sounds weird, I know, but I was curious!
First, I set the mood. I watched a couple of documentaries about prison life. Nothing too intense, just enough to get a feel for the environment. I wanted things to get in my head, so I did stuff I thought would help.
Then, I did some “prep work.” I cleared out my bedroom completely. Just the bed, no pillows, no blankets. Kinda stark, you know? I even turned off the heat a bit to make it a little colder, a little less comfortable. I wanted to make my room less cozy.
- No phone.
- No laptop.
- No distractions.
I even set an alarm for a random time in the middle of the night, figuring that in jail, you don’t get to sleep in. After the changes, I laid down. I just stared at the ceiling, trying to imagine what it would be like to be confined, to have no freedom.
Honestly, it was pretty boring at first. But then, I started to feel… uneasy. It’s hard to explain, but the lack of comfort, the silence, it started to get to me. I started thinking about all the things I take for granted, like being able to walk outside, talk to my friends, eat whatever I want.
When the alarm went off, it was jarring. I felt this weird mix of relief and… something else. Disorientation? Maybe a little fear? It was a strange feeling, waking up in that cold, empty room, after trying to put myself in that mindset.
I reflected.
My Takeaways
I definitely didn’t actually experience what it’s like to be in jail, obviously. But it did give me a tiny, tiny glimpse into the psychological impact of confinement and loss of freedom. It made me appreciate the simple things a lot more.
Would I do it again? Probably not. It was a bit unsettling. But it was also a really interesting experiment in trying to understand a completely different reality, even if just for a few hours. And, I did dream I lost my phone and couldn’t find it at first, which kind of felt like I was missing something important, so I felt like I had no control to get it, which I guess, kind of worked!
