If one common thread ran through the student body of The University of Memphis, it would be procrastination.
"It's basically learned behavior and you have to retrain yourself not to do it," said Joseph Fenech, a senior psychology major and peer advisor.
Procrastination is commonly seen in the academic setting, where students are required to meet deadlines for assignments and tests in an environment that is full of events and activities and compete for students' time and attention.
"It might be good to write things down, follow the schedule and check things off as you go along," Fenech said.
Procrastination, according to the Mental Health Organization, can lead to stress and become habitual due to the discomfort of not completing a task or putting it off for another period of time. The main triggers of procrastination are boring events or difficult tasks.
Some students struggle with procrastination due to a lack of time management or study skills, stress or feeling overwhelmed with their work.
Jessica Roesch, a psychology graduate student, said procrastination isn't a problem for her.
"I'm usually on the ball, but I do better when I do procrastinate," she said. "I try to reward myself if I get everything done on time."
Roesch said she uses a planner to stay organized and on time, but it's a tough task.
"I write down whatever I need to do for the day, however, procrastination is kind of impossible to avoid," Roesch said. "Stress helps me a little bit and sometimes the added pressure keeps me focused."
Having peers and family members that push you to stay focused helps as well, Roesch said.
"I try to stay away from a lot of slackers," she said. "The pressure from parents helps a lot. Especially my mom gets me in gear."
Receiving advice from campus officials and services offered is one way Elizabeth Ingram tries to beat procrastination.
Ingram, a psychology grad student and research assistant, attended a seminar that focused on self-management, study and stress advice.
"Now, I write a to-do list on how I need to prioritize my time," she said.
Ingram said planning for deadlines depends on your decision making and that waiting to do something can become habitual.
"I used to procrastinate but it's hard to now since I'm a grad student," she said. "I'm guilty of waiting to the last minute to do things like cleaning my office and spending time with my boyfriend."
Studying is not one of the things we like to do, but making an A on a test is, Ingram said.
