I opened my Psychology book to page 483 today to embark on my "Psychological Disorders" reading. After learning learning about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, Depression, Schizophrenia, and a host of other disorders, I began to think back to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The institutionalized patients suffered from a variety of psychological disorders. Then, I realized that I, concernedly, display the symptoms of a few of these disorders as well, the night before one of our "Infamous Data Sheets" must be turned in. It all starts around 3:30 pm...
3:32 p.m: I have been sitting at the computer since 3:30. A whole two minutes. Enough time for me to type "Literary Techniques." The fact that I am only typing "Literary Techniques" is a bit concerning to say the least. I get up from my chair and leave the den. The television catches my eye. Suddenly, I go from eating a snack, to running on the treadmill, to doing my Biology homework, to stopping mid- Bio to do Psychology, then abandoning Psychology to return to the computer to check Facebook. While doing so, I am unable to sit down and focus for longer than five minute time spans. Potential Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder?
9:00 p.m.: Thankfully, I am now well into my Data Sheet. Typically around "Significance of Opening Chapter." At this point in the night, I will myself to stay seated at the computer, NOT leaving Microsoft Word. I just keep adding on those page numbers, every new page scrolling to the beginning of my Data Sheet to be sure I have not messed up the order at all. Every two minutes, I press "Ctrl S" to make sure that I save my coveted Data Sheet. I proceed to find a small, fixable error in my work, such as two examples of a literary technique instead of three. Panic ensues. I frantically flip through the book and my notes to find a third example. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, anyone?
1:00 p.m.: (Approximately) I am approaching the printing and turnitin.com stages of the Data Sheet process. I start to think of my day tomorrow at school. Oh wait, it is tomorrow. I realize that I should probably go to bed now. My head hurts. 'Could it be,' I think to myself, 'That I am getting sick?' I now fear that I am coming down with an illness related to sleep deprivation. I show symptoms of Hypochondria, as I am simply tired. On the other hand, I convince myself that I am going to wake up in the morning, too ill to attend school...and most importantly turn in my Data Sheet!
After completing two whole Data Sheets, I can handle anything else that comes my way.
Sarah, that sounds very similar to my own experience in completing data sheets, along with my observations in AP Psychology. Personally, I believe that I am one of the BEST procrastinators in the world. If an assignment does not have an immediate deadline, it is almost impossible for me to stay focused enough to get it done early. This unfortunate condition forces me to complete challenging tasks, such as a data sheet, at the very last minute. Ultimately I get my best work done during the late hours of the night before the data sheet is due because it actually needs to get done.
ReplyDeleteSarah and Nicola both, I go through the same thing on data sheet eve. Having read this post, I contemplate normality. Who and what defines normality? Does the majority define normality? If so, I find myself concerned with the possibility that the majority is getting us off track. I would consider each of the "disorder symptoms" you experience to be of the utmost normality! Very interesting post Sarah, I love contemplating insanity versus normality!
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