It’s pretty easy to procrastinate in college. Friends, TV, and campus socials are just a few of the many reasons a student might procrastinate when he or she tries studying and writing papers.
While friends are a fun and important component of college, hanging out with friends in lieu of studying for finals, for example, might result in a bad test grade. Therefore, it’s important to find ways to avoid procrastination. The following sections offer tips for avoiding procrastination in college.
Turn Distractions into Rewards
It’s easy to procrastinate in college by watching TV and perusing social networking sites, like Facebook. While these activities are typically thought of as distractions, students can treat them as rewards for studying.
Students can set study goals for themselves and then reward themselves for completing the goals. A reward could be one of the activities that is usually a distraction. For example, a student might set a goal for studying for a final exam for two hours. If the student completes this goal, then he or she can watch an episode of his or her favorite TV show.
Create a Homework Schedule
College students have class schedules that designate days and times in which they have to report to a classroom to take notes and listen to lectures. This same concept can be applied to completing homework and studying. Students can create homework schedules.
A homework schedule lists the days and times in which students will work on homework. If the schedule is written or typed, then students have a greater chance of remembering the homework obligations. Schedules could be set by semester, month, and week – whatever works best for the student.
Go to a Homework Friendly Location
Sometimes, a student’s location is the catalyst for his or her procrastination. Roommates and friends that are nearby can distract the student. And the availability of a TV and cell phone might also contribute to procrastination.
Therefore, students can go to homework friendly locations to work on their college homework. These locations might be away from roommates and TVs, such as a library or a coffee shop. While it might be necessary to bring cell phones, students can turn off their phones while they study.
Designate Specific Days and Times for Studying
Students can also designate specific days of the week and times for studying and completing homework assignments. Studying at the same times every week will establish a routine for students.
Having a study routine is helpful because the more of a routine something becomes, the more difficult it becomes to break that routine. Also, a student's routine eventually becomes known to her friends, who will remember that the student is busy studying at certain times of the week.
Coordinate Study Time with Friends and Roommates
If friends and roommates are the reason a student procrastinates in college, then he or she can make plans to study with those friends and roommates. The student can coordinate study times with them.
Students who coordinate their study times are more likely to support each other in studying. Instead of distracting each other, the students will be working together to finish their schoolwork. This is especially true if the students work towards the same reward for studying.
While it’s easy to procrastinate in college, there are many ways to avoid this, such as by coordinating study times with friends and turning distractions, like TV watching, into rewards. Additionally, students can create study schedules and go to homework friendly locations. Avoiding procrastination might help students earn good grades in college.
 |
