Procrastination is probably the number one stress inducing "disease" that is attacking most teenagers today, but unfortunately, it's one of those addictions in which the user cannot seem to stop. Once a procrastinator, always a procrastinator, unless you try really, really hard to stop. But if it's so stressful, why do teenagers keep doing it?
As a procrastinator myself, I cannot tell you how many times I've told myself that I was going to finish my next assignment at least a day before it was due. I don't think I've actually followed that rule even once since beginning my high school career. It's not that I don't want to; it's that my mind has a way of convincing me that I have so much time, and that I can just do it later. Even though I have absolutely nothing to do right now, I tell myself that I can use this time to take a nap or watch Netflix and I can finish my assignment or study for my quiz tomorrow.
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To be honest, I even procrastinated on writing this article. Here I am, typing it up at 10:13 p.m., and I have to turn it in at midnight.
I couldn't begin to tell you how much stress procrastination has caused me in the past. In fact, this past month, I turned in an assignment approximately 15 seconds before 11:59 p.m., when it was due. My heart was beating fast and my hands were shaking as I quickly attached the file and submitted the assignment. I nearly had a heart attack. But here I am, still procrastinating. I get so mad at myself for waiting until the last minute and not learning from my previous mistakes, but I just can't seem to stop. Maybe I'm encouraged by the fact that I still manage to get good grades regardless. That assignment that I turned in at 11:59? I got a 98%. Or maybe I like the fact that I can work efficiently and conveniently, not spending too much time overthinking because I don't have time to waste. Honestly, I don't know what it is or how it works, but I just can't seem to stop, and I know for a fact that many other teenagers can relate.
