Procrastination is defined as the act or habit if putting off till another day or time, especially something requiring immediate attention. This is definitely something that most everyone is guilty of. But if one knows that whatever they are putting off will come back to haunt them, why choose to procrastinate in the first place?

Wikipedia offered a wealth of interesting information (as it often does) behind the psychology of procrastination. It essentially boils down to a lack of self-confidence, disliking the task, or impulsiveness. However, some peoples’ extreme procrastination can disrupt everyday routines. Mental and psychological disorders are often linked with procrastination, which can show that if people don’t learn to keep it in check, it can have a severe affect on their lives.

That being said, procrastination is something that many high school students deal with in their everyday lives, and it’s rarely as severe as may have been suggested in the previous paragraph. Sean Keegan summed up why many students choose to put off work until the last minute in a mere three words that probably aren’t suitable for publication.

Ian Davis trumps Sean in terms of brevity, and responds with a single word: “Netflix.”

Nick Bonasoro, a senior, had a more elaborate and less vulgar explanation as to why he procrastinates. “I think I procrastinate because I tell myself one assignment won’t really matter, or that I can make it up.”  He went on to say “There’s always something more fun to do than homework.”

“It’s human nature,” offered sophomore David Greene. Pretty insightful, D-Greene. Pretty insightful indeed.

Senior Rob Gleason initially attributed his procrastination to laziness, but then shared more of his thoughts. “I do better under pressure sometimes,” he said. Could that be the answer? Do students refuse to work until the very last minute because they aren’t being pressured enough? That seems unlikely, as many high schoolers will say that school puts on too much pressure.

It seems that procrastination, in high school at least, boils down to students simply being unmotivated to do work “now” because they find it uninteresting or difficult. Even though it may save time because of last-minute adrenaline fueled sessions of cranking out work due in 8 hours or less, is the stress really worth it? And in the wise words of Rob Gleason, “There are some [big] projects that just can’t be done in a night.”