Vacation Procrastination

We all do it. In fact, that's exactly what I'm doing right now. I am in Las Vegas until Sunday for a dance competition (Youth America Grand Prix), and I have decided to write in impromptu blog post instead of finishing the essay due in just a couple of days. When you are on a vacation, you put off doing your homework as long as you can, and often times until the journey back home. This is the definition of unnecessary stress. While I understand wanting to relax on your vacation, ruining the end by cramming all your homework into the last day puts a negative spin on those good vibes you had during your trip. Here are some of the best ways to keep up with school and paradise without one dominating the other. Bonus, I am determined to only use images from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, so enjoy.

1. Find The In Between Moments

Image courtesy of The Prospect

During a vacation you will always have those moments of pause before you head to your next adventure. If you have half an hour because your mom couldn't stop taking pictures around the hotel, then use that time to read your textbook, finish an essay, or hey, write a blog post. Even if you only have two minutes you can finish a math problem or two. Little by little your workload is lightened and your sense of accomplishment grows. I know I am proud of myself when I finish my homework early (for me that means not in the last minute before class).


2. Car Rides

Image courtesy of Blogramme.

Although I just said no to leave all you homework for the car ride home, I didn't say you couldn't do some of it then. Not to mention, if you are capable of completing assignments on your way home, then you can do it on the way there too. I don't recommend this if you get car sick easily. Also and advantage of the road is the constant access to gas stations and their candy. Sometimes I will reward/bribe myself with candy to get my homework done. One Reese's Piece at the end of each paragraph sounds like a good deal to me. I don't recommend that if you are allergic to peanut butter.

3. Makeup Work

Bueller? Bueller? Image courtesy of Bitcointalk

This is a big one guys. I know it's hard to accept the consequences of playing hooky, but unless you want to spend the rest of the quarter digging yourself out of a hole, it has to be done. Of all my vacationing sins, this is the one I am most often guilty of. Half the time, I don't even check Canvas before I go back to school. This always backfires, and is one of the most obvious things that needs to be done. I understand the frustration that comes with being sick, and not completing your math assignments while feeling like you've just eaten a carton of rotten eggs and went back for seconds. I understand that, but everyone is guilty.

Well I hope you all keep these tips in mind for the upcoming winter break. I also hope you aren't getting tired of Ferris Bueller, I know I'm not (please help, I may be a little obsessed)! Also, if you want to prove to me that you readers are existent, and are not just ghosts, then try commenting, or following this blog.

Just kidding, you guys should go read my other posts. Image courtesy of Wikia .

So You Spent Three Hours On One Homework Assignment, And Now You're Freaking Out

Photo courtesy of OnTheRunEvents

So,  Thursday night I spent three and a half hours on one math assignment. These three and a half hours were spent before, and after dance. In fact, I even left dance early just so I could get a head start on the gigantic load of homework I had. In hindsight, I should have managed my time better so that I could take a break and work on something else to decompress, because when I finally asked my mom for help I found that most of my problems were just silly mistakes that wouldn't have happened if I had a better attitude. Luckily, I was able to finish everything I needed to do, but I went to bed way later than I should have.

In my position that night, there wasn't much that I could do to fix my situation, but here is how to prevent that from ever happening. First, it sounds obvious, but really make sure you understand the lesson taught in class. Ask questions, talk to the teacher, and do examples of what you are working on. Second, do your homework the night it was assigned. This makes sure everything is still fresh in your mind. Also if you have a problem, you have a lot of time to get help. Now, if you find yourself in a position like mine, and you have been staring at the same problems for 20 minutes, take a break. Do another assignment, grab a snack, do something that relaxes you. Once you get frustrated, the work becomes twice as hard. This is the game I like to play when I want to relax. Just remember, use this link responsibly. While I think that taking time to relax and having fun is important, procrastination is not a good way to spend your time.

I hope these tips work for you. If you have any suggestions, make sure to comment!