Procrastination. P r o c r a s t i n a t i o n. It’s a splendid thing.
Like right now… I should be writing something about this topic. But instead I’m concentrating on my cat. I’m pretty sure she ate my chocolate muffin last night. Now I’m testing that theory.
Procrastination is a tool that I have perfected during my time at uni. Its humble beginnings started at high school, where I often found cleaning a useful substitute for doing work. Then, as the years went by, I would leave essays to the very last moment, usually cramming the night before, furiously trying to have them completed. Now, I have no concept of a due date. I usually narrow it down to two options—hand it in late or later. I’ve become an expert at avoiding what needs to be done. Uni taught me that—it definitely “makes you think”.
More news on my cat: she’s taken the bait. She seems rather interested in the chocolate muffin I laid out. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. She did steal a whole bag of salami (six dollars worth to be precise) from the neighbours. I actually have two cats: the other one is relatively normal. His name is Marmite. And he likes eating fruit.
Procrastination meant that one of my cats could enter the world of social networking- he now has his own page on Facebook! Sad to say, he had a total of sixteen friends and now that has dwindled to fourteen. Actually, I might go make another profile for my other cat… right now!
The big question: Why do we procrastinate? Is there an inherent need to doom ourselves, especially around the deadline time? Or are we simply rebelling against those who set the rules, like the age-old feud between the people and ‘the man?’ This brought back a distant memory of my childhood. When I was six, I coloured in one of my eyebrows… with a vivid. It wasn’t too bad; at least the vivid was blue. And luckily my mother had the sensibility to let me dress in pink, so the colours complimented nicely. I am unsure why I only stopped at one.
Oh no. Both cats are interested in the muffin. The plot thickens…
So back to procrastination… It always comes at unwanted times. It’s both frustrating and welcome. It’s annoying, and yet beautiful things are born from it. For example, whilst writing this column, I noticed that:
1. I made a Facebook group for my cat. 2. I cleaned the house. 3. I had marshmallows thrown at my face, as an attempt to catch them in my mouth.
The funny thing is, I would not be doing these things if I didn’t actually have something to do.
There is something about procrastin-ation that we can’t resist. I’m not sure what is so alluring about it. Perhaps it’s the feeling of evading authority—you’ll do your work, but on your own terms. Or maybe it’s those tasty cookies you like to bake while studying?
More on the mysterious muffin eater: It looks like Marmite is the culprit. And I thought he was the normal one… He’s now eaten the top half of that chocolatey goodness. I should probably stop him. I don’t think cocoa is good for our feline counterparts. But he looks like he’s having too much fun.
Procrastination. Its presence is alive in everyone, waiting for the right moment to strike—namely when you have those assignments due. Trust me, go with procrastination and you won’t go Wong.