If someone were to review my dreams, they would probably give them one star at best. Repetitive, they would say. Not much of a discernable plot, they would say. Derivative, they would say. Nothing at all that’s remotely inventive. Here’s why.
There’s the one about the final exam I have not studied for, which is also sometimes about the essay I didn’t know about that’s due in an hour or the course I forgot I was taking and can’t graduate without. See? Nothing original here. Everybody has a version of this dream. Apparently, it is among the top ten most remembered dreams. I didn’t even know there was a top ten list, which sent me down an internet rabbit hole to try and find the list. Which I didn’t. Which stressed me out. Dreams about exams are apparently stress dreams. The helpful analysis from the internet said “You have stress dreams because you are stressed.” Brilliant.
I don’t know if this is on the top ten list or not (since I didn’t find a list), but I also have the dream about finding new rooms in my house (in my current house or in a previous house or in a completely random house that is apparently familiar enough to me for me to notice there are new rooms I have never seen before). I am always happy to discover my new rooms, especially if they also include additional bathrooms, but then I question why I never knew about them and feel short-changed because of all the time I have wasted not using the extra space. How could I have lived here so long and not have noticed? The people who interpret these things say that extra room dreams are about “a rediscovery of lost aspects of the self.” If that is the case, there is alarmingly more of myself lost than I have been able to find so far. They also say this type of dream is almost as common as the one about being unprepared for an exam. So, I guess my question is now answered. It must be on the top ten list. And officially confirms I am a run-of-the-mill dreamer.
My third type of dream involves trying to get down from someplace high without an adequate route of escape. There might be stairs that are far to steep and tall to descend. There might be a ledge that is too narrow to stand on. Or, there might be a passageway that leads only to thin air. Here’s what the internet says about this: “Dreams about heights could be a sign of interesting events and adventures you could soon experience.” It also says, “In some cases, dreams of heights could symbolize obstacles and challenges you could soon encounter.” And further, “Such dreams often symbolize issues related to your career and work.” Some dream interpreters say that dreams about heights are “a portent for longevity and immortality.” Or perhaps dreams about heights ”point to your need for organization, discipline, and structure in your life.” Despite all this internet wisdom, I think the most likely explanation is that dreams about heights are dreams about heights. You are on notice, recurring, annoying, ubiquitous dreams: I’ll see you in my dreams and know exactly what you are up to.
Gerard is a prolific dreamer and relates to the three main topics of your recurring dreams. He now feels he will likely have a dream about the unlikely prospect of sweeter dreams on the horizon!
And there are more where that came from, Janice. I look forward to being unprepared for an exam soon (and I assume, so does Gerard).