Dear Anonymous Reader,
I
looked up the pros and cons of procrastination a couple of years ago. Don't ask
the source; it's been too long and I'm in no mood (since I'm already in the
middle of finishing one research paper) to try to dig it up again. But one pro
I remember is that, in the case of schoolwork, the Procrastinator doesn't have
to worry about being stressed all year to finish work that isn't due for
another couple of weeks or months. Instead, the stress comes all at once the
few days (or the night) before a project is due and is gone by the time the
work is finished. Another pro is that some people generally work better under
pressure. The con, of course, is that there isn't sufficient time to revise
one's work. It is what it is, revised or not.
In
my case, I, for the moment, fall into the latter category. But thankfully (from
my point of view), I don't stress too much anymore. My own method of madness is
to do my best all semester. That way, if I happen to revert to old ways and
procrastinate near the end of the semester and my work isn't as polished, I
have the better grades to hopefully carry me through.
Calculated
laziness? Perhaps. Easily distracted? Most definitely. Full of excuses? Of course. However, learning what's
important and what isn't, in the grand scheme of things, has been one of the
most vital tools in avoiding anxiety over late work loads.
I
figured out a long time ago that what we're mainly searching for as human
beings is connection with others. We find it in so many different forms that
it's hard to differentiate what it is we're actually looking for.
Many believe they'll find fulfillment in
being financially successful. Others believe they'll find it in the
love of another. Some believe it's found in a god (or gods) while others
believe it's in proving that it isn't. Some believe it's honor. And some, honestly,
just don't care. Whether it's the WOW geek up late on a Monday night raiding
some castle with a bunch of cyber buddies or the emo girl who cuts her wrists
and then writes depressing poetry about loneliness, we're all still
searching for that attention from somewhere.
For that
voice that affirms our existence.
For that
hand to hold (or the spooning to enjoy during some cheesy, sparkling chick
flick).
Either
way, Facebook, or social networks in general, are perhaps the greatest
expression of that desire. Just scroll through the news feed in a given day and
you'll find more seemingly useless information about what everyone's doing than you know what to do with. In fact, you can't really do anything
with it other than "like" or comment on it. But even then, some
blurbs aren't even comment-worthy.
For
example, one postee has just addressed her bed and bid the rest of us good night. The entirety of Facebook is potentially
scrolling by and you're talking to your bed?
Useless?
Perhaps...if only at first glance.
Dig
a little deeper, however, and you'll find in that random post a desire for
someone else to connect with a simple idea; the hope that someone else
somewhere else relates with her simple desire to sleep; the realization that
the only reason why someone would post anything at all is in the hope that
someone else will read it, connect, and care about what's being
experienced.
So
what does all of that have to do with anything? Heck, probably nothing at this
point. More than likely the majority that started to read this have already
wandered somewhere else in cyberspace.
We're
not anxious for the grades. We're anxious that the grades define us. We're not
anxious for replies to random posts. We're anxious that the lack of replies define
our lack of importance. We're not anxious for success. We're anxious to matter,
to mean something, to be someone influential and important. We're not
anxious for answered prayers. We're anxious that if our prayers aren't
answered, it means we're not good enough, we're not important enough, we're
wrong, or ever worse, that He doesn't even exist at all. Lying beneath all of
those worries is more than likely the realization that we have no idea how to
connect with the world around us.
It's
big. It's got a mother-load of ideas floating around in it. So how do we sift
through it all and come out with at least a little bit of sanity?
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." -Philippians 4:6
I've made a lot of
choices in the past I don't understand. One of them is waiting until the night
before to write a six page research paper. I know why.
But really, why?
What I do know is
that worrying about it at this point won't do me any good. Only writing will.
Breaks are good, but fretting over things I can't change at this point
isn't.
Ultimately, it isn't about if I make a great GPA and get a PhD, obtain a six figure salary paying career, or that I drive an Aston Martin through the French Alps with my smokin' hot super model babe girlfriend maybe someday wife sex toy.
It's the question of will I be able to connect with others, and will they take the time to connect with me?
Just a thought, of course.
So what are you
anxious about? And what are the real reasons why?
Sincerely,
-Sean
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