UNCW works like any other learning institute in that teachers give out assignments. The one thing all of the assignments have in common? They all have deadlines. Deadlines can be less stressful if you use proper time management and work on the assignment long before it is due. The resources UNCW has to help you pull off a last second A. Today we discuss UNCW's tools for procrastination.
As a UNCW student your biggest ally in the fight against time management is Randall Library. The Library's hours are as follows.
Sunday: Open at Noon
Mon - Thurs: Open 24 Hours
Friday: Close at 6 p.m.
Saturday: Noon - 6 p.m.
It is entirely possible for one to go into Randall the day before the deadline and leave 19 hours later with a completed project. What makes the library a fantastic place for last second efforts is the atmosphere. The inhabitants of the library are procrastinators, just like you. They also couldn't bring themselves to work on their assignment earlier and they have now flocked to a place that is so dull and serious they have no choice but to focus on the task of hand. The first floor is for the procrastinators who at least need to hear the sounds of clicking keyboards, groups working on projects and the occasional loud sneeze followed by a collective "Bless you" from everyone in ear shot (Blessing sneezing people is another great way to procrastinate). The second floor is completely silent. These are for the procrastinators who can't be bothered by the sounds of other humans. On this floor if someone sneezes instead of a "bless you" they are banished to the first floor where that sort of hooliganism is tolerated. But please make yourself aware of the shortened hours (closes by 6pm) on Saturdays. Many people find that out the hard way.
The disadvantage of procrastination is well, it's just bad. It causes a lot of stress on your nerves and the quality of your assignment is not as high as it would have been had you started earlier. So, on the topic of procrastination at UNCW, don't do it. You may also think that you can finish an assignment in a one night session but this will generally not work out as you plan. Pulling an all-nighter to finish an assignment also results in other consequences like not being able to pay full attention the next day.
A great way to avoid procrastination is to get a calendar before the semester begins. As soon as you get your syllabus for each class, go ahead and write down in your calendar which days you have assignments due and when the tests are. It also helps to write down your work schedule and any events or appointments you are expected to attend. I personally recommend a calendar that allows you to view the entire month. Being able to see what you have going on overall allows you to know how much time you have available and how to make the best use of that time.
All of this being said, procrastination is obviously unavoidable. So I say, why fight it? I am a firm believer in productive procrastination. Sound contradictory? You're right, it does, but stay with me. Say you're studying for a huge calculus exam, but you happen to notice while you're refilling your water cup for the third time in ten minutes that your apartment is cluttered with junk. The dishes are dirty, your clothes are all over the floor, and there are three bags of trash sitting by your front door. The point is, doing mundane house chores seems a lot easier when you think you are stalling learning how to solve for X. Throw some tunes on in the background and you may even have a little fun cleaning dishes and folding clothes if it means a few extra minutes not studying.
Don't get me wrong, when it's crunch time, I believe in Club Randall. I have had many an all-nighter in the library and expect I have many more to come. But before you get there, if you're going to put off your work, do so in a productive manner. I promise, when you finally get home from that test and take your first deep breath in what feels like years, you'll be impressed with yourself at how nice your apartment looks, and how much you enjoyed making it become that way.
