One Night Stands

Let’s face it. We’ve all had one. I mean. I’ve had more than one. Over a span of several years. Especially during my nights at Undergrad.

What I am trying to say is - when I was in high school and during my first few years at undergrad I kept finding myself up late at night working on a paper. Most of us have been there. We hum and hah and before we know it we have to write a 1500 word antithesis on Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish. I would think to myself “how did I get myself into this mess?”

The plan is always simple. Open your books. Put on some music. Grab some water, coffee, tea, etc. and hammer out a masterpiece more divine than Van Gogh’s Starry Night.

For some reason, when we start a project the night of it always gets done. I know you have heard some people say, “I stayed up all night, but it’s done!” and the person who adds “your preaching to the choir!”

So, I started thinking. If every time I needed to get something done could I just leave it to the night before? Would the super powers of completion enter my finger-tips when the pressure was really on? Personally, I can’t do it anymore. Nor do I endorse anyone else to flirt with the one night stand.

But, what I do find interesting is now I start assignments earlier and they take me longer to finish. If something is due in two weeks I might start a week and a half early, but only finish a day or two ahead of schedule. It makes me wonder why I shouldn’t just leave everything till the very last moment. Imagine the possibility! All students ever want is more free time and my pressure theory has made their dreams a reality.

At the end of the day we all find our own way to do our work. Planning is a dance practiced and presented over a series of school semesters. The dance is different with each assignment. Some require the passion of the Tango. While others need the tempo of the Cha Cha.

The important thing to remember is: we all eventually find the right stride.