Stage 1: Reception

The Oxford Dictionary defines reception as "the action or process of receiving something sent, given or inflicted." In this case, you feel the latter.

"Why would you give this to me, on top of the seven research papers I have to write, the eight books i have to read that I haven't even started yet, and they're all due next week?!"

There is a sense of betrayal, like something has destroyed the entirety of your soul. But you stand up, knowing you can conquer it, because it's just another homework assignment. You can do this.

Stage 2: Determination

You take the assignment, whip it out and stare at the keyboard in front of you. You begin. MLA formatted heading with your name, date, professor, and the class name, a title and your last name in the top right hand corner. It looks sharp. Professional. Blank. You begin to write your introduction. That's when it begins to descend. Your first sentence goes through draft after draft after draft as you're trying to find the words, but they just won't come. The screen or paper stares back at you with the glaring word "The" and nothing else to back it up. You decide you should probably collect your articles for your works cited page, so you pull up the Internet browser.

It is your worst mistake.

Stage 3: Temptation

Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Pinterest or whatever else you have begins to cry out to you. "Come here check your notifications!" "You have a new follower!" "Pay attention to me!" These are the things they scream. And, as if it was a puppy that just won't leave you alone, you can't resist the temptation to pet it. Or simply open up the browser and spend the next hour flipping between your newsfeed and the school's library page, half-heartedly attempting to find articles while engrossed in all of the content at your fingertips.

Suddenly, you realize something.

This paper isn't due until next Wednesday! And it's only 10 pages. You can do it over the weekend. This thought soothes you like a large and unhealthy dessert, and slowly you grow more and more comfortable with it. "I'm not doing anything on Saturday. It's perfect!" And then, you succumb.

Stage 4: Distraction

This is the phase of complete rejection of the assignment. It begins to flee from your memory as you enjoy all sorts of various activities. Video gaming, board gaming, card gaming, social activities, dates or what have you populate your existence as you wallow in denial and pretend that it's all going to be OK. But in your heart you know that the fateful day is approaching. Saturday comes and you barely think about your assignment. "I can do it Sunday." On Sunday? "I can do it Monday." On Monday? "I can do it Tuesday."

And then Tuesday comes.

And you were not prepared.

Stage 5: Doomsday Eve

You have absolutely nothing. Your paper is due tomorrow. And you have night class. You did NOT think this through. The weight of the assignment furthers your denial, and you ignore it all day. Now night class is over, and your door is closed. It's just you and a laptop. You stick your headphones in and you sink into that day-before-the-due-date zone, the place where your most efficient work happens. By the end of the night, your paper is done, and you feel a warm sense of relief, knowing that you have averted the disaster of an overdue assignment, something you are very well versed in. You learn a valuable lesson, realizing that you could have done it earlier in the same amount of time and not have had to stress about it for so long. But deep down inside, you know that the cycle is going to repeat itself all over again next time an assignment is received.