Much like most Collegiettes, I am really good at pretending to know what I’m doing throughout all hours of the day. I always have the best intentions for myself, but somehow, most of these just don’t seem to happen by the time I go to sleep (usually much later than I wanted). If this sounds familiar to you, the good news is you’re not alone! Everyone around you — or maybe just me — is also faintly holding onto control and self-discipline! This is not to say there are not days when I go to bed at a reasonable hour, satisfied with how my day turned out. I do have goals, and I do accomplish them. But as I get older (my 20th birthday is next month), I realize that I am, more and more, grasping for straws when it comes to doing this whole life thing.
6:30 a.m.:
Oh GOD, why did I set my alarm this early? Oh right, I had good intentions last night, hoping to get a productive start on my day. Why did I think I could go to the gym, much less get my sneakers on within five minutes of waking up. Yeah, nope. Goodnight.
8:00 a.m.:
Alright, half an hour until class. Take out 10 minutes to walk there, which leaves 20 minutes to get breakfast. Do I want to sit down for a bit and eat in a calming, relaxed manner? Or should I actually be on time to class and eat there? Omelettes are so good, but the oatmeal bar isn’t bad either. Tomorrow I’ll leave myself an hour to eat. Definitely.
10:00 a.m.:
Okay, you’ve got to get homework done now. Would another cup of coffee be a bad idea? I’ve always heard of people who get the jitters from consuming too much coffee too quickly, and I already had some before class. Do I want to get the jitters? Nah, it doesn’t matter. A latte won’t hurt.
12:00 p.m.:
And, since you’ve waited until the day this assignment is due, you’ve got two hours. What were you doing last night that was so important that you couldn’t do this? Is procrastinating actually better for you? Do I write better under pressure? GAH, why didn’t I do this last night?
4:00 p.m.:
Why, why, why am I still tired? What are some DIY techniques to staying awake? I should have gotten a bigger coffee in the morning. How is everyone else around me so attentive to this PowerPoint slide right now? I should have brought a snack.
6:00 p.m.:
We’re done! Should I go home and lie in bed until I’m hungry? Should I go to the gym? Would a responsible adult go to the gym? I probably should start my homework, if I’m going to go to bed early tonight so I can get a bright and early start on the day … or I could watch “Lilo and Stitch.”
12:00 a.m.:
Why are you like this? Why did you think you could finish your work now? Maybe you could save some work for the morning?
2:00 a.m.:
Good job today. How many people are going to bed at this hour? Just you? And now you have approximately five hours of sleep ahead of you.