An Old Post With a Heated Debate
Interesting in a number of ways:
Do perspectives change?
Is this the way people remember their formative years?
If nothing else... it is a fun read.
In 100 proofed words discuss why I have only 8 of 27 research papers two days after the due date. You may expand on previous statements, but do not repeat ideas.
Interesting in a number of ways:
Do perspectives change?
Is this the way people remember their formative years?
If nothing else... it is a fun read.
In 100 proofed words discuss why I have only 8 of 27 research papers two days after the due date. You may expand on previous statements, but do not repeat ideas.
11 comments:
I think the reason why a lot of people didn’t hand it in was because they weren’t motivated enough not to sleep in order to get it done and I sympathize completely. After all, I wasn’t motivated enough to get my globalization project done for economics. I did the research paper and handed it in on time because I was interested in the topic and because it was a teacher who I have a great deal of respect for asking me to do it. If my main goal was high numbers on my report card then I wouldn’t have done the paper on time. Fortunately and unfortunately, though, I can not force myself to be motivated by a set of numbers on a piece of paper. This is probably the reason why I haven’t been in more advanced classes in the past, I’ve had the potential but I have been lazy and indulged in procrastination too often to be placed in them.
It is always the objective observer, shielded by anonymity, who casts the first irreverent aspersion. Although in no way involved with the process -- "he" assures us he understands. Maybe the "Big K" caller should read Heart of Darkness, or at least ask a current A.P. English student to explain it to him.
Mr. Kowgios
This Post is on behalf of Avery:
I would like to second Miss James on the concept of Mr. K's internal sniggering at all of you; I'm sure he has ten times the work you all do and finds your excuses ridiculous. I would however like to take her argument one step further. Your procrastination, though appalling and perhaps even inexplicable for most of you, is NOT due solely to the illusion that you are "The Elite". And, as some of you seem to feel, it is not due to time constraint either; especially if you believe you are an Elitist, for then no matter how small the time, you should always be able to produce with a flourish. In fact, those of you who think the matter is time, let us be honest: I am a former AP student, and if I can now write essays in Chinese, then you can certainly do them in English.
The problem can be surmised in three letters: S, A, T. For some reason honors and AP students think the bigger the words they use the smarter they sound; myself included, if you can read this wreckage. Forget the shackles with which Madame Tompkins restricted you! Less is more. Say only what needs to be said. "Start at the beginning, and when you get to the end, Stop!" (Alice in Wonderland. 173).
Honors and AP students see an assignment by its requirements. ((Cough page numbers cough)). Immediately there is a fear to meeting those requirements. You fear proving that you are still the SAT literate students who tripped into this class. And that fear drives you away from your work. Let the public remember the greatness you were; let them see your 98.9 on your regents score instead of that research paper you did the year before college. "Live by the foma that make you happy" (Cat's Cradle. Someone hook me up with a pg #). Hand in a speed-paper littered with SAT vocabulary and no one will know you for the slacker you've become.
However, you've proven that you can cope with this fear. How long have you spent in this forum, writing excuses with the same strength in structure you would use to formulate an essay? And imagine how often you verbalize or chat-speak arguments like this every day of your worming lives. If you can write here, then you can write anywhere. Suggesting you're not really procrastinating at all, just gathering the strength and the words to do the piece. You fear the task, but you have a greater fear for failure and judgment. ((I would wittily insert a Death of a Salesman quote here, but alas, my brain is too buzzed with thoughts of Lemony Snicket, and coming home to taunt you all personally in a week or two, to formulate any.))
This entire argument of course depends on your procrastination and your reports being deterministic of one another. Depending upon whether you choose to do or not do this report, or if science has already determined that your fearing nature prevents you from avoiding this task forever, you could annul this entire argument. Whatever the reason for your procrastination, assuming it's determinate, you WILL do it eventually, and the WHY is of no consequence.
CHEERS LOVES ;-)
~Avery Ana LuBell
Once again on behalf of Avery:
PS-If you're going to place an argument, you SHOULD have evidence to back it XD
And to make it a not even 3 I would like to post this for Avery:
PPS- I would like to thank JoeC for his source of information, in that it verifies my argument that fear is at the center of procrastination. HOWEVER, I would like to verbally slap him for mentioning the source and text of his evidence without proper quotations and without adding his own input, making his post PLAGARIZED and null and void in light of my own evidence. Tee hee snicker snicker.
Too funny. Thanks for taking the time out to help educate us. Any help or insight I can get is more then welcome as far as I’m concerned. Even though I did the paper I know I have made similar excuses and I know I rationalize my actions and then later give myself a thorough beating for it when I realize I didn’t do as well as I could have, since my mom is therefore disappointed in me. Perhaps the way in which previous alumni posts were stated tended towards being harsh but I found it rather refreshing to get my verbal smack for being a foolish child from someone other then myself. And perhaps a blunt talking to is what some of us need to get us to realize that using rationalization as a defense mechanism won’t really solve anything. Actually I know that for me it only makes me hate myself more because when I rationalize my actions (or lack there of), deep down inside I know that I could have put in more effort and am just being weak.
For goodness sakes, Nicole, you could have been studying your lines instead of doing that paper! Or, even better, you could have slept! Then maybe we wouldn't have had hysterical laughing fits in Mrs. Tompkins room last Thursday. But more seriously, it's probably better you did it on time...imagine trying to do it this week, especially if Drama hadn't been "cancelled" (for non dramaclubians that means held somewhere besides the school for a much shorter amount of time then usual). In fact, my general point is that although procrastinating is a normal habit for many of us, it is less painful in the end to get things done instead of waiting to do them and then freaking out. Don't get me wrong I do that anyway because its really interesting to look back at my hysteria and laugh about it later...ok, fine, that’s not the reason at all--it's really just because I'm too lazy and have too little will power to make myself do things before I have to, but that’s besides the point. And I also have to say that if we don’t know “exactly what is wrong with our work ethic[s]” then we might as well just give up and stop trying to graduate… before we do serious damage to our delicate brains. I mean how can we not know that excuses are just excuses? I’ve known for years that if you have something to do then you can do it or you can not do it but either way you have to deal with the consequences reguardless of how good your excuse is. The last thing I want to address is using the attempts of Miss James and Miss Lubell at educating us as a rallying point to not learn anything or grow in terms of our work skills. That is perhaps the stupidest thing any of us could possibly do. If someone offers information and insight, then purposely trying to not learn from what they provide for us is beyond foolish.
What a passionate discussion! I’m very grateful that college students joined in the process. I wish I could say it is better to all “play nicely” (“see the cat, see the cradle”) – but we know that would be disingenuous. The vehemence and satire certainly inspired thought… and was very entertaining.
Thanks to all who chipped in; it was truly a team effort.
Big “K”
college is not worth the trouble you're putting into applications. have a real life.
i'm pretty sure about 85% of these comments fit the definition of abuse.
Blast from the past indeed! If it helps, I still procrastinate just as much.
Post a Comment