I always assumed that my procrastination would fade as I got older. I thought it was something I would grow out of. Unfortunately, I’ve found the opposite to be true. If anything, it has gotten worse. In fact, I even procrastinated writing this article.
Since high school, I’ve carried the mindset that, no matter what happens, I will get my work done on time. And technically, that belief has held. I always finish my assignments before the deadline. The problem is how I get there. More often than not, I wait until the night before something is due to even begin. The result is rushed work, unnecessary stress, and a lingering sense that I could have done better if I had just started earlier.
I have set personal deadlines for myself, hoping they would push me to start sooner. But they rarely work. The issue is that I know the real due date. No matter how much I tell myself I will finish an assignment early, I’m aware that I still have time. That awareness makes it easier for me to delay beginning tasks; I convince myself that I can start tomorrow, until tomorrow becomes the last possible moment.
Since coming to TCU, I’ve made it a goal to stay on top of my work. College feels like a fresh start, an opportunity to build better habits. Yet somehow, I find myself falling into the same pattern. I sit down to begin an assignment, and I get distracted almost immediately.
Most often, that distraction is my phone.
I tell myself I just need to check one thing, maybe look something up, or respond to a quick notification. But within minutes, I’m scrolling. What was supposed to be a brief glance turns into lost time, and the cycle continues. The assignment remains untouched, and the pressure quietly builds in the background.
Procrastination isn’t just about poor planning. For me, it feels tied to habit, comfort, and the false confidence that I “work best under pressure.” I’ve proven to myself time and time again that I can finish things at the last minute. But just because I can doesn’t mean I should.
I’m beginning to realize that procrastination hasn’t disappeared with age; it has adapted with me. Unless I actively work to change it, it will likely continue to follow me long after college.