(Ann Truong | The Beacon)
By Lydia Laythe, Staff Writer laythe16@up.edu
When it's midnight and you know you have three more assignments to do, why do you suddenly get the urge to check your Facebook and text your friends? With papers waiting to be written, it's not uncommon for students to desperately search for any excuse not to do their work.
Freshman Chris Cardoza procrastinates often.
"[The other day] I had the option of writing my philosophy paper and sleeping in, or watching Family Guy and waking up early to write it in the morning," Cardoza said. "So, I opted to watch Family Guy and write it in the morning before class."
College students run the highest risk of procrastination. The combination of new-found independence and constant social interactions can make for a very unproductive atmosphere. But many people, young and old, struggle with procrastination.
"Procrastination is not simply a college-oriented issue - it's a human issue," Br. Thomas Giumenta, counselor of learning at the Learning Resource Center on campus, said.
Giumenta stresses the importance of moving beyond the surface level issue that people see in an intellectual perspective, and focusing on the underlying feelings attached to it.
"What procrastination really means is that one activity will probably feel differently from another activity," Giumenta said. "And the person who is prone to procrastination will usually choose the activity that appears more pleasing."
Junior Amanda Ewing admitted that procrastination is an issue she developed in eighth grade, when she pulled an all-nighter for a final project. She also said that her social life often keeps her from her studies.
"I work better under pressure," Ewing said. "But that's not good for studying [for a test]."
Ewing admitted that her school work built up over time when she procrastinated, requiring her to set aside larger chunks of time in order to do her work.
Sophomore Kelsey Campbell said, "Once [the work] builds up, it's easier to do nothing [than to try and finish it all]."
Giumenta suggests asking ourselves important questions when we feel the urge to procrastinate.
"It's a comparison of two different kinds of feelings," Giumenta said. "And as I think that out, I ask myself 'what will ultimately make me feel better?'"
Most agree that a certain amount of inner strength is needed to combat procrastination inclinations. However, there are other ways to help yourself stay focused while doing your work, because... "There's an app for that!" PesterMe, Write or Die and StopDistractions are just a few of the helpful apps out there for people who need to focus.
PesterMe is a helpful app designed for the person who loses themselves in social networking sites or the generally forgetful person. The program allows you to type in your message, set the frequency of alerts, and add an alarm to play with the reminder. These messages can be paused, deleted, or edited to be used for any occasion.
Write or Die is an app for the mid-sentence break-taker, the "I'll finish that paragraph after lunch" and the person who can never write a whole paper in one sitting. Write or Die is a word document program that allows you to set a word goal, a time limit, and a "punishment" if you don't complete your task.
StopDistractions, a last resort in the means of app remedies for procrastination, is used to completely block those distracting websites, like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Hulu, or eBay. The blocked websites can be set on a timer, so that you can set a specific time for productivity.
The University also has a lot of helpful tips and resources for students who procrastinate. The Learning Resource Center is an excellent place to start when trying to find a solution to procrastination. They have lots of information and resources for students.
"If someone were to come visit my office [in the Learning Resource Center] at any time, I would be happy to show that person how to not only access the information, but how one could use that if he or she wished," Giumenta said.
Procrastination is an issue almost all college students deal with at some point. The severity and method of procrastination may vary, but there are many ways to help the procrastinators of the world. The first step to solve a problem is admitting that there is one.
"Everyone does it," freshman Will McQuilkin said. "I'm doing it right now."
