How To Be Successful In College Tip #5: Change Your Perception of Pressure

Many college students like to wait until the last possible minute to start an assignment, write a paper or study for a big test. They justify this decision by repeatedly telling themselves that they “work best under pressure.” This statement is actually true for most students and for most people. When someone feels pressured to do something or feels like a matter is urgent they are much more likely to devote their full attention to it than if it is perceived as unimportant. The funny thing about working well under pressure is that it has absolutely nothing to do with waiting until the last minute! Students wait until the last minute not because they work well under pressure but because they simply don’t want to do the assignment! It is important to understand that LAST MINUTE WORK IS NEVER YOUR BEST WORK!!The key is to adjust your perception of pressure. Generally speaking one full week is enough time to adequately study for most tests and complete most assignments. So if I was assigned a paper on Monday (April 1st) to be turned in next Friday(April 12th) then I would usually start writing the paper that Thursday (April 4th). The first day I would write an outline and an introduction to the paper. The 2^nd and 3^rd day I would work on my 1^st draft. After that I would edit my first draft on the 4^th day. Then I would have a professor or english major edit my paper on the 5^th day. That same day I would revise my paper. On the 6^th day I would review the rubric and make sure that I followed all of the rules and turn my paper in early on the 7^th day. As you can see, it would be impossible to do all of this the night before the paper is due. Once you understand that creating your best work takes time, you’ll start to feel the “pressure” much earlier than the night before. Pressuring yourself to start your work early is a surefire way help you be successful in college.