delaying the InevitabLe The blank computer screen hums as I dose on and off to reruns of the"Andy Griffith" show. It's 1:27 a.m., and I still have six hours and 33 minutes until my 8 a.m. class. Well, technically, if you figure in the time for a shower, trip to Java City and the trek all the way to the science building, it's really only six hours and 17 minutes. "Okay, all I need is a topic," I say to myself. "Then I can change the font size, mess w ith the margins and voila, the 13-page paper will write itself." To be a grand master at procrastination, you have to have it down to an art. Like most helpful step-oriented programs, procrastination has three major steps. Step one: Type. Know what type of To be a grand master at procrastination, you have to have it down to procrastinator you are or even if you are someone that can pull off procrastination. After you self-evaluate, you should have determined how effective you are under stress, the typical grade you receive on projects you tum in, and how you respond to only getting zero to three hours of sleep the night before your project is due. However, don't confuse laziness with procrastination. The clear difference is a procrastina tor will do the assignment, but a lazy person will not. Step two: Environment. Some people live in an envirorunent that is already conducive to procrastination. They live alone, have roommates who love staying an art. up until 3 a.m. on a regular basis, or they have constructed soundproof barriers -- senIOr Todd around their work spaces. If you fit any of these categories, you are perfect for procrastination. However, if you live in an environment unfavorable to putting off work, you may want to reconsider procrastination, as it will become incredibly frustrating and difficult to work in an unsupportive environment. Ramsey Step three: Motive. Why do you want to procrastinate? Pure motives are easy to come by and easy to develop. However, they are difficult to identify. Examples of pure motives would be procrastinating because you want to help your best friend with his or her project, procrastinating because your roommate just broke up with his or her boy/girl friend and you need to console him or her, or procrastinating because you really want to be able to relate to the popular culture. As you can see, procrastinating is difficult and not for the faint-hearted. You have to be able to meet the requirements in order to be successful Well, I'm going to finish watching this next hour of"Andy Griffith" and maybe find a topic for my assignment; but then again, I have plenty of time to finish it. I will get it done sometime tonight or tomorrow ... Senior Lindsey Holder watches television in her Pryor Hall apartment. According to senior Todd Ramsey, aPetit Jean humor columnist, stu– dents who want to be effective procrastinators need to live in an environment conducive to putting off work. (Photo by Amy Beene) seniors lf 49
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==