As college students, we all have something we should probably be doing at any given time. However, we don't always do these things right away. Here's a list of just a few of the things that every college student does instead.
1. Watching Netflix
We all tell ourselves, "Just one more episode," but one turns into two, and then two turns into five. Before you know it, you've watched the entire series, and your English paper isn't going to write itself.
2. Checking social media
Whether you're into Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, or the various other modes of social media, you're bound to know how distracting they can be, especially when there's something else you should be doing. If you stay too long, you'll end up accidentally liking someone's picture from 2009, and that's not good for you or your grade.
3. Hanging out with friends
Sure, social engagement with your friends is an important part of college, but must it really be done the night before that big exam? Logically, we all know that budgeting our time this way is a bad idea, but somehow we always end up doing it anyway.
4. Listening to an entire album
You just remembered! That new album just came out, and if you don't watch it now, you won't know what everyone else is talking about. Maybe you can listen and study at the same time? There's no way that could possibly distract you.
5. Treating yourself
You have a big test tomorrow, so you might as well treat yourself to a nice dinner at an upscale restaurant, right? You know it could potentially wreak havoc on both your wallet and your grade, but hey, at least you'll remember that amazing sushi while trying to determine whether A. or B. is more correct.
6. Doing other homework
This is tricky, because it gives you the feeling of productivity. Yet, in the back of your mind, a little voice tells you that you still haven't actually accomplished what you needed to at this point. Your paper that's due at midnight might not be done yet, but that online worksheet that's due in two weeks has been completed perfectly.
7. Scheduling it for later
Let's see, it should only reasonably take you around an hour to write that essay, and you plan on getting a full eight hours of sleep each night. Don't forget to factor in meals and anything else you may have planned. If you just save the last hour before you sleep, you should be able to get it done then, right?
8. Pretending it doesn't exist
What research project? If you don't acknowledge it, maybe it will just go away. Maybe?
9. Sleeping
Let's face it, we're all college students. Being tired is just part of who we are at this point. You tell yourself that you might as well take sleep where you can get it, and apparently it ranks higher than the necessity to finish studying for that organic chemistry quiz.
10. Exercising
Of course, physical health is more important than any grade. But do you really need to spend two hours jogging when that paper is due in half an hour? You tell yourself it's a necessary risk, but deep down, you know that the only thing you're really running from is your deadline.
11. Studying the wrong way
You know that re-reading and studying your notes will help you more in the long run, but for some reason you find yourself listening to the recorded lectures instead. Why? Because it's easier to multitask this way. Sure, you may miss most of what your professor just said, but you're kind of hoping it'll sink into your subconscious.
12. Hoping for a good grade
You have spent far less time studying than you would have liked, and now things are getting down to the wire, and you only have half an hour until your exam. I guess all you can do now is frantically hope that your professor forgets you had class today, or maybe that they decided to have mercy and made the test easy. You know just how unlikely that sounds, but weirder things have happened, right?
