Every Procrastinator's 11 Stages of Deadline Denial | The Odyssey Online
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Every Procrastinator's 11 Stages of Deadline Denial

Big assignment due months from now? More like DO months from now!

Allie Hoag
May 09, 2016
Washington State Millennials
Every Procrastinator's 11 Stages of Deadline Denial
KQED News

YOUR VERY LARGE MEGA IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENT WORTH HALF YOUR GRADE IS DUE AT THE END OF THE TERM. GET STARTED ON IT EARLY; THIS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN PUT TOGETHER OVERNIGHT.
-Your Professor

You've probably seen notes like these in syllabi from Physics to Communication to Writing 101. It's common for professors to give us a heads up the first day, but they're almost entirely TOO trusting in our ability to beat procrastination. Have they met college students? We love to procrastinate almost as much as we love free stuff (and college kids LOVE free stuff). Here are the 11 stages of an approaching deadline.

1. First day

"Oh, it's so far off! I have plenty of time."

2. First weekend


"I'm actually going to be productive ALL semester. Maybe I'll even start on the project this weekend!*"

*You don't start on the project; who are you kidding?

3. A Few Weeks Later

"Wow, these classes sure are piling on the daily work, good thing I have so much time for this big assignment, I can focus on other things."


4. Midterms

"I'm so stressed I'm so stressed I'm so stressed"


5. First break from school

"Oh thank God midterms are over, I'm so exhausted. I should use this break to maybe work on that assignment? No, I deserve a break, I'll start when I get back."

6. The first week back

"Wait how is this getting even harder after break? I don't have time for this assignment now!"


7. A few weeks later

"I can't work on that assignment, I have like three papers due yesterday and a group project on Friday.".


8. The weekend before dead week

"Have you started that big assignment for Professor_______? Oh good I haven't either. It's fine; I'm fine."


9. Dead week

"Have you slept? What is sleep? What day is it? How many papers have I written?"

10. The night before the due date


"I CAN'T BELIEVE I PUT THIS OFF FOR THIS LONG! WHY DID I DO THIS TO MYSELF!? HERE I GO WITH AN ALL NIGHTER!!! I SHOULD JUST RUN AWAY AND JOIN THE CIRCUS!!!"

11. The due date

"Oh that wasn't that bad."

*This article was due at 11:59 pm, and I just finished at 11:54. Go on, my fellow procrastinators, we'll get things done (eventually).

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