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Procrastin atio n

Procrastination, what a word that pops into everyone's mind at least thirty times in their life. Don't you dare tell me you haven't, you'd would just be lying to yourself.  But here on this blog, no judgement.i think procrastination can be useful.......with CAUTION.  well mainly in two ways....taking a break during a terribly long assignment. and one word: Adrenaline.

This past Monday, i procrastinated on an assignment and while working on it with a friend in a library study room, we decided to take mental breaks. Doing Calculus problems.

yeah that sounded less nerdy in my head.

but alas! Doing those problems helped because they got our minds of the assignment for a a couple of minutes and then we got back on track. We finished the assignment and made it to bed (separately) to have a solid 8 hours of slumber under our belts for Tuesday.

This worked for me, because it was a quick distraction that i knew wouldn't take that long. Because if i break to check a social media site, i fall into a black hole and then i wonder where my hour went.

Another good use of procrastination is adrenaline. This strange hormone just makes individuals better at thinking, running or whatever activity they are doing. one problem though, we cant turn it on and off. So i wouldn't go around waiting for last minute to finish things errrrrevyyyytime because of adrenaline, because well we are organisms and organisms adapt to things, and we adapt to stress. meaning good'ol adrenaline wont be there every last minute project you do, but when you really need it, i think it will start to kick in. My advice don't rely on your back-up plan, because what happens if plan C falls though?

My personal Road Blocks

I am so very hard on myself. Especially when i am feeling mentally weak. For example when i run by myself, i constantly think of what hurts, from my ankle to my knee. Then my thoughts start saying that i can stop anytime i want to. No one will know, just you. Then my integrity comes in and i go military sergeant on myself and will i push myself to try and finish. My idea is to make small approachable goals on my running path.

For example: get to the fire hydrant, ok gooooood! now try for that small tree and so on.  The worst part about running on my own is that i have to be my own support system. But it makes me mentally tough.

My goal was to be apart of Dean's and Honors throughout my college career.

I feel that my negative thoughts would be that i can just quit.
I don't have to be apart of these programs. I don't have to attend all the pointless meetings and such. I can just drop the class and never worry about it again. It is extra. Not Required.

I can spin this.

Why quit? it sets you apart from other students. You were invited into these programs because they saw your previous experience that you can handle it and more. The meetings are fun, and great ways to share your interests. It is Extra, but It is worth it, and i am worth the effort.

So that sums up my thoughts while i run. And some intrinsic motivation.

My Goal: Stay in the Honors Program and Dean's Fellow here at my University.

This goal is not a small feat. Within this goal are many obstacles, from maintaining the highest GPA i can, volunteering around campus and doing an individual research project. My major of choice right now is very demanding, and i am also playing for the Women's Basketball team. I have come to realize that my time must be used wisely. all. the. time. The programs are designed to be for the well-rounded individuals and i am proud to be apart of their societies. I believe this goal will keep me centered throughout college and help me to make educated decisions on about everything.  My core strengths will help me through this because i expect things of myself. Small gratifications will be completing the required credit courses for honors and for my major also getting done with my general education courses and staying on track with my four-year plan. I will be rewarded through the programs themselves. Each program offers travel stipends and i get to use those on trips during the summer. The programs are for distinguished scholars  and  My ultimate goal is to do well in college and standing by these programs will help keep me on track.

Ideal Mate based on a survey

Relationship quizzes, mate surveys, and anything to help guide people about their relationships are ultimately found on teen magazine websites for 14 year old girls. For class i was a bit shady about taking this quiz because, well i've been to a sleepover and at one point in time i was a 14 year old girl. The factors presented were actually of use and gave room for thought. My top five i found reflected some of my core values and also presented me with things i expect of myself. Pretty much i want to marry myself. That was a joke. 

Top five(in specific order)

Good Health
- i would look for someone who is interested in their well-being and along with my own. Long runs on the beach, even though the sand hurts by ankles. 

Emotional Stability and maturity
- i think that being able to understand where i come from is important, and having similar maturity levels is essential for long term goals. I dont generally look for a 20 something who still enjoys family guy....a lot. 

Education and Intelligence
- again i want someone who will enjoy going to bizarre places, and learning about them and having expectations of themselves. Someone Cultural.

Mutual Attraction and love
-Everyone wishes for someone to want them back, the way that they do. 

Similar Religious Background
- This i was surprised to see in my top five, because yes religious beliefs are important but at the same time it isn't the center focus. and can be worked around.

Spending and Cutting Back

When it comes to money, i feel that everyone can be satifisfied with their purchases, but can also see ways they can cut back. There are definitely ways I can cut back on my spending. My senior year of high school I pretty much went out everyday for lunch. Literally I went out everyday and it affected me in two ways, in ways that affected my personal disposition. First in my bank account, I would work every weekend and then get my paycheck and then pay my bills and the rest was for spending money going out to lunch. I felt horrible knowing that I wasn't saving and just blowing my money on food, something that is ultimately not tangible after you eat it. The second affect was my performance in sporting activities and my personal opinion of how my body looked. I began to loose some self-esteem and everyone seems to have body issues. I realized that I was over eating and spending way to much money. Funny this is now i am a vegetarian.....(:  My way of cutting back is by not impulsively by food just because I can and to eat in a healthier manner and to remember that fast food places are only for when they are my only option. Because honestly that is how it should be. Another thing i should cut back on is the impulsive puchases at the grocery store. I love to cook and at the store those little thing at up. Along with that idea, I plan on saving more and only allowing myself to transfer money when I have a serious emergency, because I really don't need that frappe or iced delicious tea.

Purchases I feel good about are ones I know I will either remember for a long time, use for a long time, and that are not bought on impulse. For example I researched for a new hiking backpack and I looked for the best deals, the best shipping and the best return policies. It took a solid month to finally decide on what daypack I wanted and the research made me feel better about my desicion and made me get excited about the puchase. I love the daypack I bought. I love recycling clothing and I always go looking to thrift stores before I hit the mall. I love fashion, but my hipster tendencies always kick in. if you catch my drift.

What is this word....Thrift?

thrift what a word that has survived so many ages, from the renaissance to the golden age to this day in age. While reading the chapter titled "Thrift" in Generation WTF the book we are revolving this part of our course around, i found some very useful information from an unexpected source: Benjamin Franklin. Yes the man who did that one thing about the lightning, and the glasses and the cute sayings like "visitors start to smell after three days" or my personal favorite "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush". Some of these phases are from his book Poor Richard's Almanac, needless to say it is on my need to read book list. Anyway to the point, while reading i found that thrift isnt just being smart with money, but a lifestyle.  Thrift means working productively, consuming wisely, saving proportionally and giving generously. This is a lifestyle i want to live by.

Just because i am given the opportunity to buy something for an inexpensive price doesn't mean i should buy it. I can confess, i am an impulsive buyer. No doubt. But! i am willing to try my best to fix it. The chapter also mentioned that thrift can sometimes been seen as uncool. My thought is when you tell someone you like their shoes, they don't tell you:

yeaaaaah they were like 120 dollars,
 no they say:
yeaaaah i got them at target for a steal!

People like feeling their purchase was worth their money. People enjoying saving a couple dollars here and there. But  use caution and don't be fooled by it every time. buying bulk can be thrifty, but buying bulk and you are the only person in your home, then you have a Sam's Club problem. Its ok, i like big boxes of fruit roll-ups too. There are companies out there that do think of the consumer. They guarantee their products to last, that their products were made in the most eco-friendly way possible and actually encourage re-selling their old used gear through them. This company is Patagonia, and i stand by their motives so much, that one day i would love to work for them. And no, this hasn't been an overnight dream, but one i  have thought about for some time. Patagonia embodies a lot of important things, and they stand by all of them. Their motto "Live Simply" is ultimately that is my goal in life. To buy what i need, share my wealth if a can, and save money to do things i want....and for rainy days, especially when i crack my iPad and my cellphone screen in the span of two days.