Written By: Stella Blissett, BA
Academic Advisor | Aston American University
Procrastination is defined as putting off or delaying something that may be of great importance. It is repeatedly ignoring the task at hand and choosing to focus on something else that may be more comfortable. While putting off a commitment is not uncommon, it is unfortunate when a promising opportunity becomes a dream of the past – an effect of procrastination.
This fact holds true in the pursuit of a college degree: It is expected for students to be diligent and hardworking while avoiding the pitfalls that could slow the progress of students down. Procrastination is one of these roadblocks. Imagine a scenario in which a person has decided to return to college. All the necessary paperwork has been completed and the university has sent over all login credentials for courses to be accessed. There is so much anticipation because embarking on a new chapter in life is exciting.
The first day of class begins. Suddenly, work is too busy, chores are too overwhelming, and the feeling of being too tired to login to study is personally permissible. Days go by, and still, the timing is not opportune because everything else seems to be more important. At this point, the degree program has been delayed to start at a later date. Time passes and the previous feelings of anticipation and excitement are not quite the same. Now, procrastination is no longer a factor because putting off school has essentially created a lost and non-existent degree program in the mind.
How did this happen? What causes someone to procrastinate and stop a forward momentum? Let’s break it down. One reason may be that the program is too difficult or time consuming. But take a moment to login and check out the course. The act of just starting something, “getting your feet wet” is enough to calm worries to get a jump start. Perhaps another reason may be feeling unorganized with the added school schedule. As mentioned in the post, “Think You’re Too Old for College?” – take the time to organize a daily schedule with a “To-Do” list or a calendar slot to organize personal and class time. This helps to not feel stressed; the feeling of being in control. The time slot in a calendar doesn’t have to be hours out of a day. Start with 30 minutes and build it up from there.
Finally, don’t feel overwhelmed about starting or continuing a degree program. Remember, the skills and knowledge to be successful are within – Reach for it! Procrastination is unlikely to creep in when there is an incentive to keep moving forward. Make a commitment by staying organized, login to the online learning courses and don’t let excuses get in the way. Remember that there is a good reason for going to college. Stay the course and finish at the top of the class.
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