Without watchful parental eyes or the ring of high school bells, self-discipline can seem far removed, especially when we're off-on-our-own college students. Many of us, when faced with boring textbooks, find ourselves easily distracted from our studies.

Unfortunately, ignoring schoolwork and skipping classes can lead to dire consequences, including failing grades. Identify activities that lure you away from your academic responsibilities now, and incorporate changes to alter your slacking behavior before it's too late!

The Three Major Distractions:
1. Television
It's easy to get sucked into the lives of soap opera stars, especially at college. One day you're dutifully leaving the dorm for chem class, when you spy three of your friends glued to the General Hospital-hyped tube. Before you know it, weekday afternoon classes cease to exist as you sit enraptured by the relationships of the idle rich. I spent many of my college days anxiously awaiting the next episode of Days of Our Lives, wasting countless hours reveling in the sordid lives of Hope, Stefano, and company.

Primetime television is another lure for slacking students. "We would get together for Pointman every Wednesday night," says Jen Novobilski, former University of Scranton nursing student. "It didn't matter that the show was terrible. We used it as an excuse not to study."

Jen and her friends would gather in front of the designated television, heedless of the fact that only nine episodes of the show existed. "We watched the same episodes over and over. It was a lot of fun to laugh about them."

Some students are addicted to nighttime dramas, some prefer the antics of sitcoms, and still others are mesmerized by infomercial and home-shopping shows (scary as that may be!). Whatever the preference, television provides an excuse to avoid hitting the books.

2.Socializing
When you're faced with writing a major paper that you dread, it's easy to relent when your pals need a fourth for the poker game. Much of college life revolves around the social aspect, and meeting new people is part of the fun of dorm life.

Christa Mastrangelo, a Towson State University (Towson, MD) graduate, had a friend who would study at parties. "She would make study notes on index cards," says Christa, "and then sit on them when we went out. Kind of a study a lá osmosis."

Jen had similar experiences. "We would hang out at this big rock by the river," she recalls, "and I would bring my notes to study before a lot of people showed up." Not the best way to hit the books!

Romance often abounds on campus, and new relationships frequently take priority over an impending physics exam. "I prefer to spend my weekend with my girlfriend," comments Michael Shives, biology major at Shepherd College (Shepherdstown, WV). "I know I should be studying and reading, but I'd rather be hanging out with her."

3.Sleep
Academic studies, chilling out with friends, and extra curricular activities can lead to a lack of sleep for many students. "I hate getting up in the morning," says Michael. "I've skipped a few classes because my body's begging for sleep."

Sometimes, however, it's not morning classes that cause the problems. Reading three chapters of a boring textbook can be a sedative, even for an insomniac. "On numerous occasions I'd return to my dorm room after studying at the library," recalls Christa, "and my roommate, who was supposed to be studying, would be sleeping with a book on her head and an empty bag of sour cream and onion chips under her arm."

As a natural night owl, I had my own problems with morning classes. Eventually, after too many missed yoga classes forced me to do an extra-credit assignment, I learned to arrange my schedule according to my sleep needs. By my second year in school, I never took a class that was scheduled before noon.

The Three Solutions
1. Set Attainable Goals
My college roommate always made lists of her assignments. Each day she assigned herself a certain amount of work to complete. Once that was finished, she was free to engage in the slacking activity of her choice.

Assess your assignments, including any studying, research, and reading. Then break these assignments into manageable chunks of work that can be accomplished within the deadline. Make a schedule for each day, and make the schedule a priority. You'll be much more relaxed during your social time if you know that you've accomplished your daily tasks."Before I permit myself to relax and watch T.V..," says Michael, "I make myself complete the homework I need to do. Once that's finished, I feel a lot better about wasting time with my friends."

2. Choose Classes You Enjoy
Colleges and universities have general requirement classes that every student must pass to graduate. But most colleges allow students some leeway when choosing electives. Try to schedule a few classes that you find especially interesting."I took a lot of strange classes," says Marc Freeman, former University of Maryland student, "stuff like 'French Existential Philosophers.' My friends would all be hanging out, and they'd tell me I was stupid for going to class. But I loved those classes."

If you find a fascinating subject, you'll be much more likely to attend class and do the required work. Although my attendance record for many classes was spotted, I faithfully showed up to ethics twice a week. My dynamic professor and engaging classmates fueled my enthusiasm for the subject.

3. Learn From Mistakes
Every die-hard slacker has teetered on that dangerous academic disaster line. Caught up in the ease and enjoyment of slacking, it becomes more and more difficult to focus on the importance of studying. Unfortunately, this can lead to a GPA plummet.

"Once I had a major test, and I hadn't studied all semester," says University of Maryland graduate, Elisa Infante. "The night before the test, I tried to stay awake by taking way too many caffeine pills. By the time it was morning, I was so sick I had to go to the hospital."

Aside from being dangerous, Elisa's behavior didn't net her any rewards. "I didn't do well on the exam because I hadn't been studying all semester. And I couldn't do any cramming because I was too sick!"

If you find yourself in the face of an academic disaster, do your best to finish the paper or study for the exam without the aid of pills or potions. Let it be a learning experience, however, and develop skills to avoid future mishaps. Socializing, relaxation, and sleep are all necessary aspects of a student's life. But don't allow slacking to cause your academics to suffer. Take control, finish your assignments, and then slack to your heart's content.

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