It’s 2 a.m. I am sitting in front of my computer, mouth slightly agape, staring at the monitor. A blank white screen faces me, marred only by that annoying blinking line. It seems to draw some perverse pleasure from my inability to produce words. Or maybe that’s just my imagination.
Sigh. I glance at the clock, and mentally calculate that this paper is due in six hours. Another sigh. Never again, I promise myself. Never again will I wait until the last minute. Next time, I will get it done on time. No more procrastinating.
How many times have you said this very thing? I know I do it all the time. I am fully aware what my assignments are, how long they will take to complete and when they are due. When I first receive them, I feel so unburdened. After all, I tell myself, “This isn’t due for a week. I have plenty of time.” I certainly have time. Lots of it. But somehow it always fills up rather quickly. First, the classes. They take up all of my mornings and some of my afternoons. By the time they are finally over, half my day is already gone.
Then, when I get out of class, the first thing I have to do is eat lunch. After all, breakfast was many hours ago, and a girl needs her nourishment. I peruse my food options, decide what looks best and pop into the microwave. After it comes out, I have to let it cool so it does not burn my mouth. I decide to check my e-mail.
As I scan through my new mail, my eyes light up because one is from Facebook. Someone has written on my wall! Quickly, I log out of Webmail and into Facebook. After I read my new wall post, I have to check the birthday list and make sure I didn’t forget to wish anyone a “Happy Birthday.” While on the homepage, I notice I have a new message. It could be important, so I click the link and read it. Then, before I sign off, I have to scan through my friends and see who has recently updated their profiles.
By this point, my lunch has to go back in the microwave for a few seconds. But that’s OK, because it gives me time to see if anyone has commented on my Xanga. After I have checked, I finally get around to eating.
I could start on my homework at that point, but my brain is feeling a little overused after those long classes. I need some down time to recharge that mental energy. So I flip on the television-just for a little while! As I am watching one of the good old games on ESPN Classic, I remember how long it’s been since I played basketball. So I decide to call up some friends and head to the gym for a few games.
A couple hours later, I am back. But it’s not homework time; no, I have to shower fast and hurry to a meeting! Five o’clock seems to come so fast these days. After the meeting, I am starving because I played a lot of basketball. By this point, lunch is only a distant memory. One of my friends happens to call at that moment to tell me that there are people going to eat at Sweet Pepper’s-what perfect timing!
After a leisure dinner out, my friends and I decide we don’t have that much homework. It would be a good night to hang out. We all congregate at someone’s apartment and begin discussing what we should do. Some want to play a game, some would rather watch a movie and the rest just want to talk. It takes about 45 minutes, but we finally agree to watch a movie.
After the movie winds up, I realize it’s almost midnight. I say my good-byes and prepare to leave. Half an hour later, I am finally walking out the door. When I get back to my room, the first thing I do is sit down and check my e-mail, Facebook and Xanga again. I catch myself yawning. After looking at the clock, I decide that I am much too tired to attempt writing a paper now. I’ll do it tomorrow.
You know how it goes. Tomorrow comes, and the cycle begins anew. Before I know it, the week has passed. It is the night before my paper is due. I am sitting in front of the computer, silently scolding myself yet again. Next time, I won’t do this, I promise. Next time.