#18: Finding Inventive Ways to Procrastinate

Just as finals week has descended on the University of Notre Dame, so too have the litany of things that Notre Dame Students do to procrastinate on their work that has been building up all semester.  While there are some students that are focused on the task at hand (premeds), most Notre Dame Students see study days and exam week as a welcome chance to screw around until work really must be done.

One way that students procrastinate is by going to parties and partaking in a variety of drinking themed events during study days (see #11).  These can range from keg races to beer pong tournaments, and are typically widespread during the early study days.  Many students also procrastinate on their work by leaving town to go to the Kentucky Derby; because is there a better way to prepare for exams than by drinking Mint Juleps and betting on horses?

While it is relatively easy for students to find ways to procrastinate during study days, they must pick up their game if they are to not do work during exams week.  Since every student wants to give across the appearance that they are being productive, most students will pack up their books, notes, and laptops and find a spot with all of their friends on the second floor of the library.  After taking everything out of their backpack and spreading books and notes across a table or desk, Notre Dame Students will then take out their laptops and let the real procrastination begin.

Notre Dame Students have become adept at finding online diversions that will keep them occupied while giving off the appearance that work is being done.  They will update their facebook status religiously making sure that everybody knows how many exams they still have, and how many hours it is until they are DONE.  They will play games such as Family Feud, Funny Farm, and Sporcle; and they will learn more than they did during any class throughout the semester.  

Notre Dame Students will also read.  They will read more articles on ESPN.com than they did during the rest of the semester combined.  They will read message boards on Rivals and ND Nation (see #8), and they will find obscure blogs to pass the time.  However, the pinnacle of Notre Dame Student procrastination is when a student begins to follow Charlie Weis’s Twitter *.  When this happens, they have truly decided to phone in their exams.

*Exception: This is assuming that said Notre Dame Students do not attempt to start their own obscure blog during the final weeks of the semester.  This would truly be the most inventive way to procrastinate on work.