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procrastination

  is inevitable. No matter how on top of things you are in high school, this "do-it-later" ailment can affect you at some point during your college years.

We'll be honest with you - procrastination is commonly rooted in large projects with long lead-times. You know, those research papers due at the end of the semester that you have "plenty of time" to work on. It can also show its ugly face when quick homework assignments are left unattended, when you find reasons not to study because of distractions (late-night pizza runs, anyone?), and when you realize that planned trip to the beach is suddenly being cancelled by a last-minute cram session.

Though procrastination's put-it-off ponderings can invade your brain, the good news is you can establish simple habits to prevent them. By examining your lifestyle, setting goals, planning ahead, and of course - getting started - you'll find that procrastination is easy to keep in check. Just think of how much easier your college years will be when they're filled with both achievement and fun, without any of the when-will-I-finish-it worries.

The Rush to Get It Done
Procrastination has wreaked havoc on the lives of many college students across the country. For Alicia Rosenthal, a sophomore at Columbia College Chicago (Chicago, IL), procrastination caused her to rush through important assignments.

"I would rather play and use the night-before energy rush to get things done," Alicia admits. This adrenaline rush was motivating, yet because of her procrastination, Alicia didn't always have the luxury of going back to check her work to make sure it was in top form. "The procrastination monster completely consumed me!"

It's much easier to finish something early than panic to get it done the night before it's due. Sharon Warren of James Madison University (Harrisonburg, VA), recalls her freshman year nightmare of not finishing an ominous research project until the last minute. "I had to go to Washington, D.C., for a meeting over the weekend, so I tried finishing most of my assignments that were due the following week before I left.""

Most of her assignments, that is, except the major science paper that was only halfway completed. "I innocently thought, 'Oh! It'll be easy to find some time to just finish it.' Wrong! With my thoughts and concentration elsewhere, it was impossible to complete that paper." Sharon found herself scrambling to finish it once she got back to campus. With a lesson learned, she now starts on big projects early to make sure she gets them finished on time.

Time Is Money
For Erin Axtell, who graduated from the Armand Hammer United World College of the American West (Montezuma, NM) this spring, procrastination actually cost her money. She procrastinated her way around starting her scholarship applications, and was upset when she had an empty wallet for college. "Since I didn't apply for scholarships early enough, I did not get very much money."

Time Flies and You're Not Having Fun
Procrastination can also have a negative affect on your social life, says Finn Keough, a sophomore at Occidental College (Los Angeles, CA). When he procrastinates, he often findshimself stuck in his room completing an assignment instead of being with friends for an exciting night on the town. "The night before something is due is typically when people want to have fun."

And just think of how much fun you may miss out on if you've started to succumb to the procrastination demon now, while still in high school. Cheryl Crill, an advanced placement English teacher at Estes Park High School (Estes Park, CO), notes that her student--procrastinators often find themselves in perpetual cycles of catch--up. "Once you get behind, you can't ever catch up," Crill says. "It's much better to stay ahead than fall behind." Sure, but how?!

Step One: Keep It Real
Though college can be the best time of your life, it's a serious endeavor to undertake and a very large time commitment. Between classes, friends, road trips, lacrosse practice, and basketball games, your schedule is bound to fill up. That's why you need to understand your priorities at the beginning of each semester so you don't get bogged down with too much to do.

For example, assess the amount of free time you want before signing up for an extra class or applying for a part--time job. Extra work is fine, so long as you have the time to do it. Otherwise, you'll begin to procrastinate on the things that are actually more important.

It also helps to have a good outlook on your schoolwork. Brian Schetzsle, a sophomore at the University of Colorado (Boulder, CO), feels it's counterproductive to take a course he's indifferent about, which will tempt him to procrastinate. His ultimate advice for staying on track: "Do things you find interesting."

Darcy Richardson, a sophomore at Colgate University (Hamilton, NY), agrees. "Find ways to enjoy what you're doing. "It's a no--brainer that if you're interested in a class, she says, you'll have more motivation to get assignments and studying done.

Step Two: Write it Down
Fighting procrastination comes from proper time management. To help with that, suggests Crill, "write down every assignment as it is given, and start right away on big projects."

Once you've prioritized your life around things that matter to you, your best weapon is a dated journal, planner, or notebook. Julie Allen, a freshman at Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA) writes everything down on a calendar. "To get things done, I need a Deadline."

And don't stick to just scribbling in assignments, they advise - also note appointments, meetings with your profs, and social obligations, such as catching the latest home game or hanging with friends. By doing so, you'll never be caught off guard by missing office hours or finding out a paper is due the next day.Sharon writes everything down on a to--do list every night. "I organize a reasonable 'Must--Do' list for the next day, giving top priority to my academic studies."

Step Three: Break It Down
Mark Twain once wrote, "The secret to getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking down your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one." Take his words to heart!

Unlike in high school, College professors will assign major projects weeks, sometimes months in advance, leaving the responsibility with you to get them done in a timely manner. And they're usually large, cumbersome, and time consuming. But, when broken down into small pieces, such 10--page research papers and complex presentations can become easy.

Just listen to Professor Eric Newhall, an associate dean at Occidental College. He believes that though procrastination is a universal problem that can never be eliminated, it can be minimized if you work at it.

"Break large projects up into a series of smaller projects, and have a series of due dates for each of them," he suggests. Say you have a large research paper - set up a series of check points: Topic, thesis, outline, bibliography, introduction, etc. - with a due date for every stage of the process. "Doing a big project in a series of small steps makes the project seem less daunting."

Darcy finds that attacking projects piece by piece is both helpful and refreshing. "I take short breaks from work so I don't get to the point where I never want to do that work again."

Sharon also finds it helpful to break up college assignments. "I've fought the bittersweet temptation of procrastination by attempting to tackle any fresh assignments a professor gives at the library. As my interest develops, I set 'mini--deadlines' so I can gradually put my full effort into producing a quality project while juggling the work in my other classes. "Though the sunshine outside can seem much more exciting than calculus homework, the sooner you get started, the sooner you'll be free to have fun, Erin explains. "I understand that if I get work done, then I can do other things I'd rather be doing, like biking or hanging out with friends."

As Darcy puts it, "spend all the energy you put into deciding whether or not to do something into just doing it... it will be a much better use of your energy."

Step Four: Reward Yourself
Finally, it's important to reward yourself for finishing assignments. "To keep my motivation thriving throughout the day, I provide myself with little incentives." Once the project or assignment is complete, she says, "I happily reward myself with the ecstatic 'sense of accomplishment' feeling."

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