As we enter the fourth week of the semester, there is an obvious change in the air. A new season is coming, and don’t mean spring (a rodent in Pennsylvania declared we’ll have to wait a bit longer for that). I’m talking about essay season. That’s right: now that the shopping period has ended and we’re stuck in the classes we’ve picked, it’s time to learn what our actual workload will be for the next few months. But as I (like many of you) get an essay assigned in every class over the course of just one week, I find it helpful to remember that life is about more than just schoolwork. That is why I present to you the MCL Top 5 reasons I don’t need to work on my essay right now.
1. It’s not due tomorrow
Due dates can make a huge difference. It would be ridiculous to waste my time today if I could work on it tomorrow. Who cares if it’s 10 pages long and I haven’t technically “started” yet. If my professor actually wanted me to work on it tonight, why would he have made it due on Friday?
2. It’s so nice out today
These really nice days are few and far between. I would hate to miss the opportunity to get some fresh air and sunlight. What if it’s cold or rainy tomorrow, and I can’t go outside? That’s just not a risk I’m willing to take. Who knows: maybe going outside will make me better focused and more productive when I come back in to write my essay.
3. This class is just for AXLE credit
So what if I don’t do well in this class? I’m only taking it to fill an HCA credit anyways. I won’t need to know any of this for my career. I just need to get a passing grade, so I can move onto the subjects I actually care about.
4. I deserve a break
That’s right. I do deserve a break. I’ve been working really hard, and I should reward myself for it. It doesn’t matter that I just got off my last break. I’m a hardworking and amazing student. I have earned some downtime and maybe even a quick, three-hour nap. Yay me!
5. Will this essay really matter in 10 years?
Well . . . will it? I don’t think so. In a decade, I’m not going to be sitting around thinking about how I should have written that one essay a day earlier. Odds are that I won’t even remember this essay by next semester, let alone much later in life. If that’s the case then I shouldn’t stress out about this essay at all. I will write it when I choose to write it, and that’s okay.