Chores>Finals: A Guide to Productive Procrastination During Finals Week

by AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

It’s your favorite week of the year: finals!!! I know, I know, what could possibly be better? Not much, let me tell you. Not much at all.

But if you have some sort of weird self destructive streak and don’t want to partake in the most joyous activity of all (grueling, nonstop studying), you might want to procrastinate. Now, I don’t know why on earth you would ever want to do this, but I do know there’s a right way and a wrong way to procrastinate.

Wrong way: staring into space. Right way: doing little chores that seem like a lot of fun for today and today only, just because the alterative is so much worse (at least in your mind. Like I said, I don’t know why you wouldn’t love the marathon of intensity that is finals).

Here are five ideas to maximize your finals procrastinating time!

Idea 1: Christmas Shop

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This is arguably the most possible fun thing to do anyway, and you’re going to have to do it at some point. And even if your mom calls you while you’re procrastinating, she can’t get mad at you for not studying because you are buying her gifts on gifts on gifts. Take an hour off, go to Fig at 7th, check out Target, Bath&Body Works, and H&M (that last one just for you) and go ham. You’re “studying” to be a lovely daughter and/or son.


Idea 2: Clean

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 Let’s face it, you don’t do it enough. What better time than now, when your only other option is staring at that one equation for 10 hours? Get up, get your blood pumping, put on those cleaning gloves, and get down and dirty. It’ll be nice to come back in January to a clean room anyway.

Idea 3: Get Caught Up with Your Job

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I’m sure you have at least one thing hanging over your head at the end of the semester regarding your job. If you work at Starbucks, clean that capucinno machine. If you have a desk job, send out those few emails tying up those loose ends. Comb through your inbox for anything that you haven’t replied to. You WILL be the best employee! You NEED this distraction!

Idea 4: Check Your Bank Account

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Again, I’m sure you’ve let this one slide. If you’re like me, you’re probably afraid to check it out. But, you’re now a self-sustaining adult and this can’t continue forever. This chore might be, for this moment only, the lesser of two evils. Log in. I dare you. It’s better than studying for the millionth hour.

Idea 5: Call Your Grandma

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This one isn’t a chore, but you might forget to do it on a regular basis. She’ll love it, you’ll love it, she’ll remind you what it feels like to be a kid, you’ll believe in love again, it’ll make her day, and you’ll get a nice study break. It’s a win-win.

So there you have it! Five adult and responsible things to do to avoid your responsibilities. Why wouldn’t you follow this list?

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