How to not procrastinate at UT Tyler

The great Walt Disney once said that “the way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.”

Procrastination is something that every college student has to deal with. I know that it affects me every day.  For example, I would much rather watch Game of Thrones, play video games, read, swim, watch grass grow, and pretty much anything else than write my 20 page research paper that’s due in less than a week now.  Ironically, as I continue to put off my paper, I am writing this very blog about how to stop procrastinating. 

This is an extremely popular topic – one that both Dallas and Emmy wrote on.  However, that does that not mean that occasional reminders do not help.  Hopefully, with this post I can help bring to light some old and new ideas on how to stop putting things off and starting getting things done. Let's stop talking and start doing!

Pugs, Not Shrugs :D

Those two words alone are enough to make both the young and not so young feign illness to stay home from work or school.

What image comes to your mind when your hear the words “group project”?

Mid-Semester Madness

You know those stressful times where you have 3 tests to study for and homework in 2 other classes? I don't! Well, not anymore.

As a child, my Kindergarten teacher described my by saying "Her internal clock just isn't ticking!" I was all about the fun and socializing, and I easily lost my focus when a task was at hand.

At some point in my educational career, I really turned things around. REALLY. Now, most of my friends and family would describe me as a hyper-organized individual that almost plans too much!

This was a to-do list that I made for myself last semester. Intense...I know.

I made sure to cross things off as I completed them!

But fret no more, my fellow students! I'm about to give you the keys to the kingdom! Or...just my personal organizational habits that have VASTLY improved my time management skills.

Tyler Texas Vacation

               This weekend at UT Tyler was a good one. Two of my friends from Oklahoma, Parker and Joel drove down here from home to visit me. Because I live off of campus, they could stay with me at my apartment. I get off of work at 5pm on Fridays and normally go to meditation but they got into town at around 7:30. That gave me just enough time to clean up! The last few weeks have been killer on my roommates and I, so we have let a few things go. Dishes. Trash. Bathroom. I missed the meditation.
                As soon as I saw Joel's car from the window, I want to say I stopped worrying, but I did not. Nothing I asked them about, they wanted to attend. Friday we could have gone camping with Tyler Mindful, we could have Discoed the night away at school, we could have gone to play pool, we could have listened to our friends play music at Fresh (or in Longview). They didn't want to do any of that. They drove for six and a half hours, and just wanted a vacation-- a break. We stayed in at my apartment and had steak, twice baked sweet potatoes, asparagus, and pie. Oh, the pie. We were up late catching up and laughing at internet videos.
                Saturday morning, I negotiated a ten am wake up time so we could attend the P3 colloquium, Pixels, Poetry, and Prose. My friend Michael worked closely with UT Tyler staff and students to discuss Science Fiction and Fantasy, and as someone that does not know much about either, it was a wonderful talk on different types of writing. Can't go wrong with free MET food, either. 
               That afternoon, we adopted a third guinea pig. Shame fills me. He needs a home! His name is Tony and he's old and I love him already.

              Last night we had dinner at What About Kabob and had a few people over. Joel and Parker loved my Tyler friends, and every one hit it off really well! This morning... er... afternoon, we made coffee (That I can't drink wahhh), bacon, eggs, and Hawaiian bread french Toast and called a few friends to eat with us. 


They drove here for good company, food, and to slow down a little.
I suppose because I go here, Tyler is not always a perfect place to relax, but the atmosphere is relaxing.
Strictly considering how much I need to write for my classes, this week I won't see much of that. 

Clearly, I'm reading too many books~

Another snippet from one of my professors:
“You should either love it, hate it, or feel nothing for it at all.”

Now in the context of writing, why settle for something mediocre? I understand this. If it isn’t moving you forward and informing you, why do it?

Yes, I understand that life itself is not a zero sum game. That does not change that you have to take the risk. You will be good for nothing if you are too afraid to tune in and stop living in the past, doubting yourself, or visiting your ex’s social networking sites. It is not about losing, but you are never giving yourself the ability to win. Things have changed, and yes, it is frightening, but accept it is happening. This leaves room for those dreams you secretly never thought you would quite make it to. Now is the time to read that book, learn that language, and start telling the truth. Start telling the real true truths that we are afraid of telling ourselves.
I need help sometimes, and that is okay.
I can do this.
I appreciate individuals that put in quality time with me.

A full life will not just fall into our laps. Sometimes “good enough” isn’t “good enough” and we know we can do better. Be real.

“This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time.”
-Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk


Man alive, I guess I should push forward with it instead of blogging about all the work in my lap.