Ah. Once again, finals season lurks among us. This means you probably have a whole bunch of papers to write, studying to do, and perhaps a little scavenging for extra credit. Naturally, you’d rather be doing anything else. It’s amazing how suddenly everything becomes exponentially more interesting when we know we should be doing schoolwork instead. Procrastination is basically inevitable. There'a an infinite number of ways to do it. I’m not here to tell you not to delay your scholarly duties; I’m here to tell you how to do it in ways that will benefit you.

Call Someone You Love

Think about it. When was the last time you called your grandma? Or your best friend that you never get to see? Or even your parents or sibling. Break the millennial stigma and ditch the texting. A nice, meaningful conversation with someone you love can lift your spirits, strengthen your relationship, and likely will brighten their day (and yours!) Win-win-win.

Master a Skill

There are so many cool, interesting, nonacademic things that are just waiting to be learned. I’m talking about fun stuff—maybe learn how to do a magic trick, or solve a Rubik’s cube. Learn The Cup Song from Pitch Perfect! Anything! This will add to your skillset (think twice before putting this on your resume, though) and make you that much more interesting of a person. You likely won’t forget something like this as quickly as you will those Econ formulas

Clean

The classic. We’ve all done this one before. But seriously, your room is probably messy. Don’t just throw all your laundry in your hamper and make your bed. Get out the vacuum and the disinfectant. Maybe organize your junk drawer, throw out all the empty wrappers and crumpled scraps of paper. Rediscover your old stapler and unopened sticky notes--these may be utilized when you finally sit down to work. Throw a load of laundry in while you’re at it. Having a clean room will naturally make your life seem more in order, and might inspire you to get some work done!

Exercise

I know. I have betrayed your trust. The idea of working out can be less appealing than finals if you’re not a fitness guru, but try it! Of course, if this is already part of your usual schedule you know the benefits. But far too many of us (myself included) lack proper exercise routines. Put on your favorite music and go for a walk. Or, head to the gym and watch your favorite show while on the treadmill. Your body and mind will thank you.

Cook Something New

I like the idea of cooking but very rarely do it. I think I subconsciously believe that watching cooking videos online is giving me cooking experience??? But, low and behold, it’s not. Try a new recipe! Make something healthy and delicious for yourself. Or bake a homemade goody and share it with your friends. This will introduce you to new foods and make you a bona fide chef for the day.

Netflix a New Way

Watching T.V. is the unofficial most popular way to procrastinate. Make it count! Watch something educational. Netflix is flooded with documentaries about things like religion, veganism, history, among literally dozens of others. Learning for pleasure is always more rewarding than learning because you have to. This won't even feel educational! Let’s be honest, re-watching Friends and The Office is great, but you won’t necessarily walk away a wiser person. Swap out a few episodes for something a little more enlightening every so often. Who knows what you’ll find out!

Learn For Pleasure

There is a lot to learn about the world. Quite frankly, many of the things we learn in school aren’t necessarily going to help us outside of a classroom. It’s important to have a well-rounded education. Do yourself a favor and do some research. Catch up on politics; research things for yourself and form a sound, respectable opinion. Become an expert on something—anything that sparks your interest. Some of my favorites include the Mandela effect, conspiracy theories, and even North Korea to name a few.

These are just several ways to avoid schoolwork without impeding your life as a whole. As important as school is, there are lots of things that are equally important. We are quick to forget that not everything that’s beneficial is necessarily academically beneficial. Do yourself a favor and waste your time wisely this upcoming finals season.