I don't mean to procrastinate. Really, I don't. It kind of just..happens. One minute I'm running from classes to meetings to meals, next thing I know the clock is striking 2am and I am striking my fingers to my keyboard to franticly finish my latest essay. I can usually find my solace in the fact that I am not without company when it comes to this issue. When it comes to procrastination, we can all relate (even if we don't want to admit it). So here I present to you an ode of sorts to the art of procrastination: what it teaches us, what it means for us, and why it isn't always the worst thing in the world.
Learning the Value of Time
Time is money, they say. And every year that passes, I come to identify with this statement more and more. The older we get, the more we realize that time truly is one of the most valuable resources we have. And procrastination could not exist without touching on the subject of time, now could it? Some people are good at time. They know how to schedule and budget their time so they have an even spread of freedom and business. Not all of us can be planned out according to the minute, but that's the beauty of life-it's a learning experience. And there is definitely some learning going on on the journey to becoming a perfect procrastinator. You learn to make use of all the free time possible. Breaks between classes and even down time before a lecture begins are viewed as prime opportunities to sneak in a few minutes of work. Those early morning hours when everyone else is asleep? They are probably the best times to get things done if you find the motivation to do so. This is only something you would know upon forcing yourself to wake up at 5:00 a.m. to finish an assignment you couldn't bring yourself to do the night before. In addition, you learn just how much you can get done in a very short period of time. Sometimes laziness can lead to surges of productivity..when your laziness to do something at a reasonable time requires you to drag the capacity to get it done out of yourself at even greater force when faced with a looming deadline.
Becoming Confident in Your Abilities
I need to get one thing straight: procrastination does not necessarily mean you do not care about your work. In fact, there are times when I am really very interested in my projects, but spend so much time thinking through the possibilities and turning ideas over in my mind and not enough time putting these ideas down into something real. The difference between someone who procrastinates and someone who just doesn't care is that procrastination also requires a certain confidence in your ability to finish a task in a short amount of time and do so correctly. Working under pressure is one thing we are prepped for most of our lives, through everything from standardized tests to part time jobs. While it is nice to imagine an educational experience where work and play have their designated times and everything is stress free, this is not the case in reality. There are going to be times when you have to work under pressure, and you have to just go with it. While school has done a great job at teaching me the importance of taking care and being thorough in order to do my best work, I have also learned through experience how to being sure enough in what I know to put my thoughts out there without having to think about it excessively. This can be applied directly to the sentiment that life is about a balance of thoughts and actions.
Silent Camaraderie With Fellow Procrastinators
"Don't worry, I haven't started it yet either." The single most reassuring statement to grace any student's ears. This one could be explained with words, but is likely better explained with the looks you exchange between the slightly disheveled girl sitting across from you in the print center at 8:27 a.m. as you both silently will your computer log-in screens to load faster so you can get on with it and get to your class already. I'll keep this one brief, because I know you know those looks.
More Time to Do What You Love
Think for a moment about all of the things you typically do when you are, quote unquote, procrastinating. Do you paint your nails in new intricate patterns and color schemes? Do you go for a run or walk or bike ride? Do you YouTube videos of cats for two hours straight? Everyone talks about not missing out on big opportunities in life to have fun, but no one really talks about the little things that bring us joy in our spare moments. And I feel that it's these little things that really make up the cracks and crevices of who we are. If everybody did everything they had to be doing at every moment they had, then guilty pleasures would hardly even exist. Can you imagine a world without guilty pleasures? Shared guilty pleasures are how people bond with one another! To straight up ignore your responsibilities is one thing, but to let some of the things you genuinely enjoy take precedence over perfect productiveness is sometimes just the way to go. In the end, procrastination is inevitable. No matter how diligent and organized you are, there is going to be a time when you find yourself guzzling coffee in the library at midnight and hoping you'll be able to stay awake at least until the end of your looming 8:30 class. We know that it isn't good, but it is just a part of life.
Hopefully these little lessons will give stressed students some peace of mind next time they find themselves in a similar situation. I am in no way advocating for people to disregard all their responsibilities, but hey, letting the homework wait for a cat video here and there will not lead to your complete academic demise. It's about balance. And it may help you learn a couple of your own life lessons.
