Procrastination, Thy Name is...

I'm a college kid.

Therefore, I'm a professional procrastinator.

You can give me work, a job.  I may hate it, but I'll still follow a worthy time-management schedule for productivity's sake.  If I love it, there will be even less chance of my path diverting.

Give me school-related tasks...homework, studying, group projects, assigned reading...and I will do anything, ANYTHING, to avoid doing it as long as possible.

Good example:

I had a paper due on Monday.
I intended to get back to school on Sunday to work on it from 7 or so, up until it was finished.  I didn't anticipate it going beyond a few hours worth of work.

What did I do instead?

1. I updated my resume.
2. I updated my LinkedIn profile.
3. I took a phonecall from my boyfriend.
4. I got locked out of my dorm room, while my roommate slept inside...she sleeps like the dead.  It took an hour or so to wake her up and get back inside.
5. I chatted with a friend on Facebook.
6. I worked more on my LinkedIn profile.
7. I "reread" the material that the paper was on.
8. I found excuses to take more notes to "prepare" for the paper.

Then, when all other options were exhausted...I wrote.

It took a short period of time, once I actually wrangled my focus and ran out of other things to do.

I think this is a fairly natural occurrence to most members of the college-aged population; even respectable, hard-working, punctual students find a million and one different things to do other than their homework.

There's no real lesson to this post, just some musing over a phenomena that has no true explanation.  With that in mind, I should go to homework...after I clean my dorm room, sit on Facebook for four hours, chat with someone on the phone, run to the store, hit the drive-through, watch Glee, and...well, you get the idea.

Interview! And Other Business.

That's right. I scored an interview.

It's exciting. Granted, it's a 4-hour drive round-trip, but it's worth it. One of the fringe benefits is that I'll be in the same city where my boyfriend attends college, so I might get a date to Noodles & Company or Avanti's after my interview. Wootwoot!

The internship I'm interviewing for is internet-based, so I'll be able to do the work while I'm 2 hours away at school. My primary mode of communication is email, with texting as a close second, and then Facebook, so I'm feeling fairly confident that if I get the spot, I'll maintain myself well.

I've never done a formal interview before. I'm quite excited. I know nerves will rise as it gets closer, but I'm hoping I'll remain moderately cool throughout this preparation process.

In other news, my farmboy (aka my boyfriend) took me to see the musical Jersey Boys in Chicago last night. It was the best Christmas gift I have ever gotten. Why? It's not some gadget or toy that I'll enjoy for a bit and will soon be outdated. It's an experience. It's a memory. And it was an amazing night. We even got lost for a little while in China Town, which wasn't in the plan...but we still got to the parking structure with more than enough time to eat, explore, and go to the theatre.

While in Chicago, we stopped at my favorite art supply store known as Dick Blick (although it generally just goes by Blick now). To make up for getting us lost, and also because he's just a thoughtful guy, Tim bought me a geeky only-Kelly-would-want-that present. SEE?! Isn't it FABULOUS?!

I'm so excited about this book. I guess times like this are the ways I can tell I'm studying the right thing...when my design-geek side spills out into everyday life.

The next few days are going to be HECTIC. I have one of those "volunteer" things to finish up, a piece for the Farm Bureau newspaper. It's due on January 1st. I also have to pack and do laundry so I'll be ready to head back to school on Sunday. ALSO, I have to finish a painting job that I have going. AND tonight is my best friend's birthday, so we're going there for dinner. AND I have to take pictures of every rabbit I plan on selling so that buyers can see what they may be getting.

Whew.

Recovery and Interviews

Christmas is over! When I was younger, I was always a little disappointed to see the big holiday drift off into the past, but this year, I'm relieved. I enjoyed it a lot, but it's nice to slip back into a less-stressful schedule. (I have another week of steady office hours before I dive back into the crazy life I keep up with at college.)

In unrelated news, I'm waiting to hear back on the date/time of an internship interview. This is exciting and uplifting, a fresh and encouraging sign after an especially stressful holiday. The major downside is that I have to commute four hours round-trip for the interview, but it's a small price to pay for the interview experience and the possibility of this internship!

Right now, I'm at a weird place where I'm enjoying the rest of my break while trying to prepare to move back to school. I'm both excited for and dreading the return to campus, since it's always a fight to try and adjust to a new schedule. I'm starting to learn the tricks to living the double-life of a professional AND college student. The old college slogan "Sleep, a social life, and good grades: pick 2" definitely seems to apply.

On the bright side, working in the office has adapted my sleeping pattern! A 7:30 start time for work is good training for the 8 a.m. classes I have 4 days a week starting on January 1st.

I hope everyone had a fulfilling, safe, and enjoyable holiday season. If I don't post again before then, I hope everyone has a great New Year! Stay safe!