2008 Woodie Awards
Don't let college be a waste of time
Jennifer Bhargava
Issue date: 1/9/06 Section: Forum
- Page 1 of 2 next >
As we roll into the new semester, I have two words of advice for you: don't procrastinate.
I mean this about everything-writing essays, studying for tests, buying your significant other a birthday present, etc. It only makes your life hell.
I'm ashamed to admit most of my college career has been formulated around the "tomorrow" routine. I'll get my assignment and always plan on doing it the next day. I play this ridiculous game until the night before my assignment is due. Then, I spend the entire night doing the work while forcing myself awake with caffeine, crying with bitter frustration, and calling myself an idiot.
Unfortunately, I have a feeling you know exactly what I'm talking about.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA) procrastination is very common among college student and increases over the college years.
So, before we allow this addiction to potentially ruin our lives, we should fight it.
The first step is discovering the source of the problem.
I used to think procrastination was simply due to laziness and poor time management skills.
However, I've realized it is much more complex.
Research by prominent California psychologists Jane Burka and Lenora Yuen shows procrastination is usually the result of fear, perfectionism and low self-esteem.
Let's take a closer look.
Fear-motivated procrastination occurs when someone is given a difficult task that may seem overwhelming. Instead of starting immediately, the procrastinator pushes the assignment away, in hopes of knowing how to do it better at a later time. As days pass and the deadline looms closer, the person becomes depressed and anxious.
Perfectionism is another factor of procrastination. Many college students feel they must meet impossibly high standards and have difficulty breaking projects down into easy steps. If a task seems too hard, many perfectionists often dread testing their talents for fear of failure.
I mean this about everything-writing essays, studying for tests, buying your significant other a birthday present, etc. It only makes your life hell.
I'm ashamed to admit most of my college career has been formulated around the "tomorrow" routine. I'll get my assignment and always plan on doing it the next day. I play this ridiculous game until the night before my assignment is due. Then, I spend the entire night doing the work while forcing myself awake with caffeine, crying with bitter frustration, and calling myself an idiot.
Unfortunately, I have a feeling you know exactly what I'm talking about.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA) procrastination is very common among college student and increases over the college years.
So, before we allow this addiction to potentially ruin our lives, we should fight it.
The first step is discovering the source of the problem.
I used to think procrastination was simply due to laziness and poor time management skills.
However, I've realized it is much more complex.
Research by prominent California psychologists Jane Burka and Lenora Yuen shows procrastination is usually the result of fear, perfectionism and low self-esteem.
Let's take a closer look.
Fear-motivated procrastination occurs when someone is given a difficult task that may seem overwhelming. Instead of starting immediately, the procrastinator pushes the assignment away, in hopes of knowing how to do it better at a later time. As days pass and the deadline looms closer, the person becomes depressed and anxious.
Perfectionism is another factor of procrastination. Many college students feel they must meet impossibly high standards and have difficulty breaking projects down into easy steps. If a task seems too hard, many perfectionists often dread testing their talents for fear of failure.
