It's finals week. And although many don't want to admit it, it is also the perfect and most common time for procrastination. Robert Benchley, an American humorist and journalist, said, "Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment."
While you might agree with Benchley, there is no reason to not be productive during your finals procrastination this week.
Here are some suggestions of the best ways to use your time when procrastinating - or rather when you're "taking a break" from your studying.
Putting together your last-minute gift list
If you didn't finish all of your holiday shopping on Black Friday, then you probably have a lot to get done in a short amount of time. There are tons of hot gifts this season, as highlighted by the Focus section last week in the gift guide series. Still not sure what to get the last few people on your list? Simply type "best gifts for 2009" into a Google search and you will be overwhelmed by the pages of results.
Go a step further by shopping online for the gifts. Popular Web sites like amazon.com carry an array of products for every type of person on your list and boast great shipping deals when you spend more money.
Organize your life and pack up your room
Everything in your head feels like a jumble, so organizing some things could help you out.
"There's a sort of psychological connection that as clutter from your desk or table disappears so does clutter from your mind," according to associatedcontent.com. "Getting rid of clutter also helps divert your thinking to the task at hand so rather than thinking about that meeting that really peeved you your mind can concentrate on something else letting the anger and tension release."
Once everything is in order, there is still more room for procrastination. Looking for another way to kill an hour or two between exams? Begin to pack up your room and make note of where you put your valuables. Clean out your refrigerator, unplug unnecessary electrics and gather your laundry. Come move-out day, you'll be much happier you set aside some time to organize your stuff.
Perfecting your resume
With papers, exams and day-to-day life, many students never have the right amount of time to work on their resumes. Read through your resume and look for common grammatical mistakes and discrepancies in format. Don't have a resume yet and thinking about taking this chance to make one? Look online and find a format that interests you, then attempt to put something together. UConn's Department of Career Services is open by appointments during finals week for resume critiques.
The month-long break ahead is the perfect time to go home and look for a summer job. Take this time to start applying to internships, as deadlines are quickly approaching and spots are getting filled. Network, ask around and soon enough your procrastinating session might becomes the best thing you did all week.
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