It's the start of a new year, a new semester-and the perfect time for a new resolution: stop procrastinating. Juggling studies and jobs can become overwhelming, and it's easy to catch the Do-It-Later bug before waking up mid-term under a pile of deadlines.
Barbara Bekis, coordinator of The University of Memphis' Educational Support Program, said she advises students to head into this semester anticipating the deadlines and keeping ahead with their work.
"It's all in the art of planning," Bekis said.
She should know.
Bekis makes time management her business and helps students tidy up their time. She said if students sit down early and plot a semester calendar, their tasks are more easily visualized.
"It's like work," Bekis said. "You go to work because you're on the schedule."
Sophomore Angela Harrington said studying on campus is easier for her.
"I know after eight or nine hours at work, the last thing I want to do when I get home is open a book," Harrington said. "If I'm on campus I know I'm there to study, so I do."
A small amount of review on a regular basis can have a greater pay off than one marathon session, according to Bekis. Getting to assignments within 24 hours helps them sink in quicker and it saves time later. Setting an earlier deadline for yourself may get you acting faster.
"We (ESP) get too many folks flooding in here at the end of the semester for that quick fix and catch-up," Bekis said. "The longer you put things off, you're at a disadvantage. There will be more to memorize in less time and the catch-up will be worse."
Beckis said students should try taking a business attitude into this semester and work at the investments each day for a pay off.
"I usually have time at the beginning of the semester, and things are cool," said junior Bryan Padawer, "but by mid-term, I'm working and my assignments start piling up and it feels like the days are getting shorter. I know that if I can at least be caught up by that time I might have some breathing room for the second half."
Bekis also said students should always stay on top of assignments and realize how good it feels to sit back and be done with something on time.
"I realized the hard way," Harrington said. "I used to put things off until 12 hours before they were due. I guess I got smart or something. The stress was killing me, and now I plan ahead."
Freshman Stephanie Myers said she kept ahead of the game last semester.
"I had papers for three of four finals," she said. "I got them done three weeks ahead of time and had three weeks to sit back and wait while all my friends were running around freaking out."
The ESP will host seminars on Feb. 6, "Getting 'A' Semester Start," and on Feb. 13, "Making the Most of Your Time." Both will be at 1:00 p.m. in room 103 of Dunn Hall.
