A Fresh Perspective: Adventures in procrastination - A Paideia story

To all upperclassmen. do you remember your first Paideia paper? Do you recall how long you put it off, or how late you stayed up the night before it was due? If not, talk to a member of the class of 2013 and maybe they’ll help you jog your memory.

The first formal paper was due in class Monday, Sept. 21 for all Paideia I students. The general goal of the paper was to pick a significant conflict found in Sophocles’ Antigone, describe it in detail and explain why you thought it was important. This sounds seemingly easy to most, but I came across some freshmen who were having difficulty just choosing a topic. On the other hand, I found a couple that were upset with the four-page maximum because it was just not enough.

Writing your first college paper, however easy the topic may be, does not come without its stresses. It seems like any possible dilemma concerning this Paideia paper has a story behind it. Finicky professors, unfamiliar formats, faulty technology and writer’s block are all setbacks we’ve encountered. One friend of mine was extremely frustrated with her prof when she asked a question about her paper’s introduction and was given an unclear answer with two conflicting suggestions. I learned to use the Chicago documentation style in my paper, even though I’d never heard of it two weeks ago. Who hasn’t had this scenario happen: you’re planning to print your paper in the study lounge on the way to class, and then the computer won’t recognize your flash drive—now what? Do you panic or skip class? It may seem like the end of the world but usually a remedy is found just in the nick of time. Another common problem with writing a paper is the always classic writer’s block. At first, you’re flying through it and think you’ll be done quickly. But bring on the distractions: friends, Internet, movies on TV and soon enough you forgot what you were writing about.

I couldn’t help but smile this morning when I logged on to Facebook before class and saw this status: “Six-thirty film and no hours of sleep! It’s a beautiful morning!” I bet it was. Needless to say, I am included in the realm of the procrastinators, and I couldn’t help but notice quite a few tired-looking freshmen this morning around campus. But hey, that’s what naps are for, right?