“If I start writing now when I’m not really rested it could upset my thinking which is no good at all.”

Charlie Brown knows what he’s talking about. Often the best ideas come to us in the middle of the night.

The big paper is due in two days. Why start now when you’re tired? Get some rest. Sleep rejuvenates the body and mind, and an ideal eight-hour slumber keeps Charlie focused.

But before falling asleep, think about your paper topic and tell yourself that you are going to dream about it.

The mind never stops working. While you are sleeping, your mind can brainstorm ideas.
Sometimes these ideas are forgotten by sunrise, so keep a pencil and notepad on your bedside table to record your thoughts in the middle of the night.

 “I’ll get a fresh start tomorrow and it’s not due till Wednesday and I’ll have all of Tuesday—unless something should happen.”

What if you were to die tomorrow? Would you really want to spend your last night on Earth writing a paper? Enjoy the party tonight and don’t worry about your work.

Maybe class will be cancelled because your professor has taken ill or because the night’s rainfall caused floods of biblical proportion. Save the worrying for tomorrow.

Living this way is the best of both worlds. You can spend one night free of worries and cares and wholly devote the next night to writing the paper.

The day before it is due, spend all day writing. Cut back the time you take to shower and eat and use this time to type your thoughts onto paper.

Satisfy the required word count and then take a break. During your break, sleep. Maybe last minute ideas will come to you in your dreams.

Even if you don’t believe it will help, the break is essential. You need to step away for a while and come back with a fresh view.

After the break, edit the paper yourself, get a friend to make revisions, and finally, don’t forget to read it aloud.

“I should be outside playing getting fresh air and sunshine. I work best under pressure and there’ll be lots of pressure if I wait till tomorrow.”

Working under pressure makes you feel productive. Every action seems like an enormous accomplishment and you are inspired to continue working.

Pressure also causes one to be meticulous. You are aware of every choice you make and you never settle for mediocrity.

If someone spends weeks perfecting a paper, the result becomes something far from the writer’s original thoughts.

Writing under pressure shows the true colors of the author. There is no time to fluff it up and make it sound like something we’ve read before, such as the work of a great novelist.

Finally, working under pressure prepares us for the real world. In our future careers, we will be asked to quickly respond with new and creative ideas.

College is a time to ready ourselves for the future. So, if you’re willing to take a chance, then wait and see what tomorrow holds.

Life is all about making choices and taking chances. Procrastination is both. Listen to Charlie tomorrow and you’ll avoid today’s “good grief.”

Tom Martenstein is a history sophomore. He can be reached at [email protected]

In My Opinion is a weekly column open to any Loyola student. Those who are interested can e-mail [email protected]