What were you doing putting off three weeks’ homework, Michael? Playing with friends, teasing Elizabeth, watching television… yeah, you procrastinated.
I remember a Sunday night I asked my parents to help me with a book assignment. My father asked me when it was due; I said, “Tomorrow”. He asked when I found out about it, I told him, a few weeks ago. He said – and I’ll never forget it – “You got yourself into this; you get yourself out.” I managed a B for my project…but that was the end of my procrastination.
since about grade 3 my brother and I shared grades as he was left behind in grade 2, we are a year apart in age though. In the higher grades if there was projects I always made sure to get them done as I was terrified my brother would tell mom!
I had a report on Panama which I resolved not to wait until the last minute. I did not and spent good amounts of time from the start looking at news reports, as this was during the time of the US invasion of Panama and the standoff. My report was all set and I was going to give a detailed presentation about how the standoff is a stalemate. At the last minute, the night before I was to give my presentation…Noreiga surrendered!
Ahh ! Memories of College term papers, hastily typed out the night and early morning before they were due. I should have received my Master’s degree in Procrastination !
So true! I did switch from that last minute work to doing things as early as possible somewhere between 5th and 7th grade, but how well I remember the stress of the coming deadline!
In 10th grade a million years ago, I had a class project to choose a company off Wall Street and follow it all term. The morning of the selection day I remembered it, and eeny-meeney-miney’d one called Faircam. Turns out it was Fairchild Camera, later Fairchild Semiconductor. Over the term that stock went from virtually pennies to BIG money. The teacher watched me very closely trying to see if I was a one time shot genius or the real thing. Got an A for the project, for about 5 seconds work. And, no, it was definitley a one time shot. ;-)
I was the Master Procrastinator as a kid. In sixth grade, I was supposed to turn in a report about Venezuela before Christmas vacation and didn’t do it, leading my teacher (who was a great guy, BTW) to tell me he was going to call my parents. Every time the phone rang the next ten days, I figured that was it and I was busted. He never did call but that was a Christmas break I’ll never forget. Still have the radio I got that year, though…my first FM.
-The tax that pays for public schools is a tax on real property (like houses and businesses.) If you don’t own a home or a business, you don’t pay the tax directly. People say that the e property tax is added into the rent that someone leasing an apartment pays, but I’ve never gotten an itemized bill when I rented. So I couldn’t prove it.
As far as going to jail for not paying property taxes? I think what happens is a lien is put on the property and it has to be paid off by the next buyer. I don’t think we have debtors prisons anymore. No room for debtors in jail. Too many drug addicts there.
Templo S.U.D. about 8 years ago
What were you doing putting off three weeks’ homework, Michael? Playing with friends, teasing Elizabeth, watching television… yeah, you procrastinated.
Gigantor about 8 years ago
More time is never enough. Every assignment is done at the last minute.
Argythree about 8 years ago
Work expands to fill the time allotted. Or something like that…
Ol Skool about 8 years ago
only 3 weeks, wow, i had a whole semester to do an assignment, and had my older brother do it for me the night before… i got a C+
Wren Fahel about 8 years ago
I remember a Sunday night I asked my parents to help me with a book assignment. My father asked me when it was due; I said, “Tomorrow”. He asked when I found out about it, I told him, a few weeks ago. He said – and I’ll never forget it – “You got yourself into this; you get yourself out.” I managed a B for my project…but that was the end of my procrastination.
keltii about 8 years ago
since about grade 3 my brother and I shared grades as he was left behind in grade 2, we are a year apart in age though. In the higher grades if there was projects I always made sure to get them done as I was terrified my brother would tell mom!
USN1977 about 8 years ago
I had a report on Panama which I resolved not to wait until the last minute. I did not and spent good amounts of time from the start looking at news reports, as this was during the time of the US invasion of Panama and the standoff. My report was all set and I was going to give a detailed presentation about how the standoff is a stalemate. At the last minute, the night before I was to give my presentation…Noreiga surrendered!
Linguist about 8 years ago
Ahh ! Memories of College term papers, hastily typed out the night and early morning before they were due. I should have received my Master’s degree in Procrastination !
summerdog86 about 8 years ago
I do my best work when I have a last minute deadline.
masnadies about 8 years ago
So true! I did switch from that last minute work to doing things as early as possible somewhere between 5th and 7th grade, but how well I remember the stress of the coming deadline!
William Taylor about 8 years ago
In 10th grade a million years ago, I had a class project to choose a company off Wall Street and follow it all term. The morning of the selection day I remembered it, and eeny-meeney-miney’d one called Faircam. Turns out it was Fairchild Camera, later Fairchild Semiconductor. Over the term that stock went from virtually pennies to BIG money. The teacher watched me very closely trying to see if I was a one time shot genius or the real thing. Got an A for the project, for about 5 seconds work. And, no, it was definitley a one time shot. ;-)
stuart about 8 years ago
http://waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrastinate.html
Guilty Bystander about 8 years ago
I was the Master Procrastinator as a kid. In sixth grade, I was supposed to turn in a report about Venezuela before Christmas vacation and didn’t do it, leading my teacher (who was a great guy, BTW) to tell me he was going to call my parents. Every time the phone rang the next ten days, I figured that was it and I was busted. He never did call but that was a Christmas break I’ll never forget. Still have the radio I got that year, though…my first FM.
Argy.Bargy2 about 8 years ago
-The tax that pays for public schools is a tax on real property (like houses and businesses.) If you don’t own a home or a business, you don’t pay the tax directly. People say that the e property tax is added into the rent that someone leasing an apartment pays, but I’ve never gotten an itemized bill when I rented. So I couldn’t prove it.
As far as going to jail for not paying property taxes? I think what happens is a lien is put on the property and it has to be paid off by the next buyer. I don’t think we have debtors prisons anymore. No room for debtors in jail. Too many drug addicts there.
terrym1986 about 8 years ago
Was it W C Fields that said to never do today what you can put off until tomorrow?