OP ED
Procrastination is a way of life for me. It’s not to say that I’m irresponsible or that I’m not capable of getting the job done properly. I just work well under pressure. At least that’s what I tell myself.
As my university career grinds to a halt in a little less than a week, I have finally come to grips with my procrastination habits. I have fine-tuned these habits over the past three years to work with me, rather than against me, at Concordia. Now the true test is to see if I can make these habits work for me in the “real” world, or if I have to go through yet another fine-tuning process to adjust to whatever job I make get.
Since these methods of procrastination have helped me attain a respectable GPA here at Concordia, I have decided to pass them on to others who chose to wait until the last minute. It’s my legacy, if you will. Hopefully, someone out there will benefit from these suggestions and realize that it’s no shame to procrastinate, but rather an art.
Now, if you’re waiting until the night before to do an assignment, have a plan. Think about what you’re going to be writing about during the week and scribble notes down in your agenda (that way it doesn’t seem like real work, but rather glimmers of sheer brilliance). Then, you can plop yourself down in front of your computer at 10:00 p.m. Monday night (for a paper that’s due on Tuesday morning, of course) and not go in cold.
If you’re like me, sitting in front of the computer for hours on end is not the most appealing, or comfortable, thing in the world. After a few good hours of work, take a walk, even if it’s around your house. I find pacing works well. That way you can build up your adrenaline and brainstorm while being only steps away from your desk. Plus if you’re having a “Why did I wait until the last minute?!” freak-out, you can channel some of that energy into a repetitive motion. Back and forth. Back and forth. Go ahead, try it!
Pulling an all-nighter is usually inevitable when you procrastinate, so somewhere along the line, caffeine will become a factor. My preference is a cup of coffee, at three half-hour intervals starting at about 1:00 a.m. That will usually carry you through until the morning, and then you can start the cycle over again. After the first two cups, there will be pent up energy, so don’t forget to pace.
Now, you can always try and start a paper a few days in advance, but the true procrastinator will always find a way to leave it to the last minute, even if it isn’t planned that way. I have tried to fight my natural instincts and sat in front of my computer a week in advance, checking out databases on the Internet and bookmarking them. Then I stare blankly at a word document for what seems like hours (but really is minutes). Glancing at the clock every 30 seconds, I run through what else I could be doing. Watching television, hanging out with friends, heck, even doing the laundry would be more appealing. Then, as if someone out there in the cosmos throws me a life preserver, either the phone rings, a buddy signs on to MSN messenger or I give in to the calls of my TV set. Folks, if you know you’re going to wait until the last minute anyways, don’t kid yourself. Wait until the last minute.
It’s not to say that waiting until the last minute is a bad thing. Some of my best work has been produced in the wee hours of the morning, as I’m on the brink of hallucination. Suffice to say, some of my not-so-great work has been produced as well.
So for those of you struggling with term papers or final exams (the same rules apply for studying), just remember, the procrastinator in us should be embraced and not tucked in the sands of denial.
