As a busy college student, I know how stressful homework and studying can be. If we’re being honest, we’ve all promised ourselves semester after semester that we’re going to improve our habits, finish assignments the day they are assigned and actually use our new planners.
Well, I’m done breaking promises. Instead, I’ve decided to embrace my procrastinating ways and put them to good use.
So without further ado, I present five productive activities you can do while avoiding homework so you don’t feel awful about yourself.
1. Deep clean
One of the best ways to procrastinate is to do some intense cleaning. Let’s be real here. Those dirty dishes aren’t going to wash themselves. Your homework, on the other hand, might go away if you ignore it for long enough. (I wish.)
How could you possibly focus on a reading assignment when you have that load of laundry that you’ve been completely avoiding for the last two weeks? That big pile of clothes has long outgrown the hamper and is slowly taking over your entire room. And that’s just not the kind of stress that you need in your life.
The laundry isn't gonna do itself, am I right?
2. Work out
What better way to avoid exercising your mind than to exercise your body? Beauchamp is open every day of the week, and offers everything from rowing machines to a ping pong table. If you don’t know what to do at the gym, the Beauchamp offers a variety of fitness classes open to all students.
If you’re not much of a working out kind of person, the walk between the library and the Pilot House is lovely. Spring on the Bluff is a beautiful thing, and there’s no reason you should be trapped in a study room instead of enjoying a gorgeous day outside stress-free.
Take a mindful break from your assignments and get swol instead.
3. Call your mom
This one is pretty much self-explanatory. Your mom would probably love it if you stopped reading this article right now and called her. Or even better, you could wait until you have multiple tests coming up that you aren’t ready for to have a long conversation with her, or any other family member.
When was the last time you talked to your mom? Yesterday? Well you should still call her.
4. Help others with their homework
Everyone knows the amazing feeling you get when your classmate is struggling on a problem and you come in and save the day. This is truly one of the best ways to avoid working on your own assignments.
Why would you let your friend make the long walk to the Writing Center when you could spend an hour helping them edit their essay? Exactly. Everyone loves to be helpful, and this is one of the best ways to do it.
Not excited for an upcoming assignment? Help your friend study for their test!
5. Distract others in the library
Okay, this is it. You’ve called your mom, dad, sister and every cousin. You’ve helped write three essays for your friends. You feel hopeless, as if you might actually have to do some work.
Every student knows that guilty feeling you get when you’re surrounded by other students being productive, especially when all you’ve managed to do is open your laptop and organize your highlighters by color.
Too distracted to work? Share the love with friends and distract them too.
Contrary to popular belief, the best solution to this problem is not to be productive; it’s actually to bring others down to your own level. Speaking from personal experience, it’s much easier to distract others than it is to get your own work done. After all, college is about a lot more than just school.
Don’t let your classmates make you feel bad for not doing homework. Now that I’ve given you five foolproof methods to continue your procrastination in productive ways, you can continue to avoid your homework with more confidence than ever before.
Carlos Fuentes is a reporter for The Beacon. He can be reached at fuentes22@up.edu.
