Some students are able to get back into the swing of things, others may be struggling to keep up with their work. Wherever you may be in your school endeavors, just know that you are not alone.
Photo by Sierra Thompson
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College is a time in a person’s life when they want to do everything but nothing all at the same time.
The constant battle to balance a social life, school life and your own ideas about how or when things should be done can be seemingly impossible at times.
Through these times of struggle I have told myself many things to help justify my actions.
“I work better under pressure.”
This is something that I have been telling myself for years, and it is still not true.
However, through my consistent streaks of procrastination, I have learned a couple of things about myself.
1. My Fears
The process of my fear of failure is slow but it does exist.
Time and time again, I always find myself awake late at night (or all night) trying to cram everything in all at once and having the most ridiculous panic attack.
I will think back over the last week of missed opportunities.
I will think of how much time I spent watching Netflix or taking naps, and want to cry.
As if midterm week was not bad enough, I had the undeniable urge to binge watch half of the “Breaking Bad” series before I could even think about studying.
Even though the desire to succeed and do well on these tests was fresh in my mind, there always seems to be something that keeps holding me back.
Whether it is laziness or optimism that everything will work out, it scares me just how often I put myself in these situations when they could easily be avoided.
Why do we do this to ourselves?
I constantly think of things that I have to do, but continue to avoid them until the very last minute.
If it was not for my intense fear of failure I probably would give up on life and never get anything done.
I have truly become thankful for this trait because it helps me to balance out whatever my mind justifies as an acceptable excuse.
Without it, I am scared to think of where I would be in life.
2. My Dreams
I have always wanted to be an actively productive person.
I have always been a little jealous of people who have the willpower to finish assignments pretty much as soon as they receive them.
Even though I get my work done on time, it would make my life easier if I got my work finished without a stress-induced panic.
Being actively productive seems like it would make everything in my life fall into place.
3. My Needs
I have the terrible problem of thinking that things will work themselves out.
How does my mind forget the amount of stress and panic I feel every time I wait to work on a project?
In its own way, procrastination is a bit of self-discovery. It is a learning process.
It is not always a negative trait.
Procrastination can help people to learn, form new ideas and understand their strengths and weaknesses.
By putting things off, people are forced to come up with things quickly.
They may decide to do their work in a way they might have not intended.
Procrastination could lead to creative new results.
If a person is a little indecisive, then procrastination can help force them to make quick decisions. Although at some point, everybody has to find their own way to cope and get past their lack of motivation.
Finding what can get you motivated is really the key factor in avoiding procrastination.
Some may have a more difficult time than others, but at least you are trying.
Triston Buckley 
Emily Retzer