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Procrastination Kills: A Cliché Guide to Overcoming It

Last updated on October 10, 2019

This post was written by Mountain View student Amelia Orozco. Stay tuned to hear more from her throughout the semester!

The clock ticks away the seconds, minutes, and hours. All the while your computer screen shines white – a blank page, with the exception of your name and your professor’s, the course, and the date. On other days, the highlighter cap remains sealed and textbook words turn to hieroglyphs. Deadlines and assignments collide with each other and you can’t seem to keep your head above water for too long. You may feel out of place, but isn’t everyone at some point?

College may be stressful, but you can easily overcome its persistent surging. Follow these 5 helpful tips and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a more proactive college student.

Keeping a planner is handy, but phones are better. I can’t tell you how many times my planner has been left to collect dust. Setting daily reminders or calendar events are far more effective.

Pull a Nike: Just Do It. Starting an assignment is the hardest step. Once you start, don’t stop. Everything starts as a rough draft and you can always go back to revise it later.

Use positive reinforcements. For example; if I finish 50 math problems, I can binge-watch my favorite show on Netflix afterwards. Trust me, it works.

Set a realistic timeline. You can’t cram studying for an exam the day before, nor write a 10-page essay in two days. Quality work takes effective time management. Plan these tasks in advance and make sure you work around other responsibilities and leisure time.

Surround yourself in a positive environment. This includes everything from who you interact with to what you ate last night. Your surroundings reflect your work ethic. Yes, this means find a quiet place and, if you want, throw on some concentration music.

Big thanks to Amelia for these great tips! Be sure to check out some posts from our other student bloggers.

Published inWhy Dallas College?