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Procrastination
By Amanda McKinney, Senior
Just imagine, it's your first day of college, and you are so excited about
making a new start. In high school you were never very organized, but you have
promised yourself that you are going to be responsible. In one of your classes
you hear about a research paper due towards the end of the semester. The paper
makes up a large portion of your final grade, but you don't worry too much since
the deadline is three months away. Time goes by and you soon realize that the
deadline is a month away. You promise yourself to go to the library the next
day, but keep putting it off. Soon the deadline is only days away and you have
accomplished nothing. The night before the paper is due you are in the library
working all night long, and print the paper moments before class begins.
To some this may seem as an exaggeration, but for many, including myself, it
is a reality. Procrastination is a problem that many people suffer from, but
luckily there is help. One article I discovered said that
90% of college students procrastinate, and 25% are chronic procrastinators.
One may ask, "Why do people procrastinate?" I have found several answers to a
question that haunts many.
- The larger the assignment, the more likely you are to procrastinate.
- Background stressors such as noise, or a personal crisis.
- Difficulty concentrating. Often students begin to work on a
project, and then start daydreaming about the upcoming weekend or
boyfriends/girlfriends.
- Poor time management. When a student does
not manage his/her time wisely, the consequences can be severe. You may
actually find yourself wasting time by worrying about an assignment instead
of completing it.
- Negative beliefs in oneself. Negative thoughts often get in the way
of completing the task, and stop you from getting the work done.
- Unrealistic expectations about what you can accomplish in an amount
of time.
- Lack of motivation.
Procrastination often leads to feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and/or
depression.
Luckily, there are a number of things a student can do to help overcome
procrastination. By following these tips, hopefully you will be able to beat
procrastination!
- Set aside a regular study time each day. If you are having a hard
time managing your time, it is important to set aside a regular study time
each day. Use this time to finish homework, or begin to work on upcoming
projects. Having good study skills is a necessary skill to survive in
college.
- Break work up into sections. If lack of motivation is the problem
try to divide you work up, so you don't have so much to do at once. Write
yourself questions at the end of each section and make sure you know the
answers after reviewing all of the material.
- Find a good study environment. If your study environment is the
problem, talk to your roommates about keeping the noise level down during
study time, or try studying in a different location such as the library.
- Spend time gathering your thoughts before you dive in. By spending
the first 5-10 minutes gathering your thoughts and organizing your
workspace, you will discover that you can accomplish a lot!
- Keep a record of how often you daydream. If daydreaming is a
problem, try marking down on a sheet of paper how often you daydream. Each
time you catch yourself daydreaming, put a check on the sheet of paper. You
will be surprised at how much time you are wasting.
These are just a few of the solutions to overcoming procrastination. For
other helpful hints check out the web sites listed below.
Internet Resources
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