Pepperdine University - Promenade Yearbook (Malibu, CA)

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Sophomore Robin Martindale soaks up the sun’s rays while he studies Western Heritage at Seaver’s sand courts. procrastination Procrastination: The first thing you learn as a freshman and the last thing you want to do before you graduate. Why do we as students think we can get away with doing things at the very last minute? Mom and Dad ask you to have the car washed by the time they get back at 2:30. No problem. You start at 2:15. There is a legend that circulates throughout practically every college in the country about the freshman fifteen. It is understood that every woman who enters college gains 15 pounds by the time she goes home on Christmas break. I can testify that this legend is partially true. I put off exercising from the very first day I got here. The walk up four flights of stairs to Suite E was enough for me. So. I figured that the stairs would be plenty of exercise . Wrong. Christmas rolled around and I managed quite nicely to gain 10 pounds. It was not pretty. So. I decided to start exercising and eating right-- the following week, of course. Your sophomore year begins and you get to start taking some classes in your major. It is amazing how these classes that are supposed to be more interesting are always the ones that require a 20-30 page term paper. You are to research and work on this throughout the course of the trimester; the professor says. How does the word no' grab you?' says the student. All that really registers is due date: end of the tri. Then you think to yourself. 'Well, maybe I will do the research now. costly shortcut 8 opening

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Pepperdine s student handbook clearly states student regulations. Off-campus students enjoy being free from the restrictions of Pepperdine on-campus rules. Dal Pozzo says that any kind of clear documentation explaining the rules and why they exist would have been helpful to her as a student. Although she says that a guidebook for student behavior might be frowned upon by many students. Dawson says he viewed the rules for Seaver students as being flexible and established only to be challenged and eventually changed. He says he understands that any maturing college student will eventually be faced with a regulation he or she doesn't agree with. That is why the administration looks to the students for input, he says. Watson says. 'All of our rules create an atmosphere conducive to a Christian atmosphere, making it possible to look introspectively. He adds that the rules also encourage development in the intellectual, physical and social areas os well. Realizing its limitations, the vice president for student affairs sums up the role of the university's administration by saying. We can simply guide and encourage.’ KIRBY RUSSELL opening 7

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But. we all know that the chances of that happening are zero, and the chances of you waiting until 2:30 a.m. to start your paper when it is due at 8 a.m. the next day are about 100 percent The best excuses so far for procrastination are authored by students at Pepperdine University, Some very interesting responses prevail among the favorite excuses that have been used. ‘I work best under extreme pressure. was one of my favorites, especially since the deadline for this is tomorrow. (Just kidding.) I know that I can do the assignment in about an hour, so why waste good television time to do it when I can do it in the Galley an hour before class begins is another good excuse. My favorite by far is from a certain vice president of the school, who must remain nameless for reputational reasons When I have procrastinated. I go into a meeting and discuss aspects that I know to be true and don't commit to ones I am unprepared about. Then I explain that additional research needs to be done and will have to be Procrastination quick relief can be costly, and the student may need to work harder to disguise the paper as being an original than to have written the paper anyway. Catching some waves, downtown Malibu, an easy way to put off getting to the books. reported at a later date and time Of course, this has only happened one or two times and the meetings were not about important issues involving Pepperdine and its well being Sure. The effects of procrastination sometimes outweigh the time saved (or lost). When you do an assignment or project at the very last moment, the final product is most likely not the very best of your ability. Nothing ever is. or so it seems, when your brain is functioning by the aid of No-Doze alone. You know you've procrastinated too long when you count the hours until the paper is due and realize that it will take you at least that long to type the thing. When grades come around you sometimes want to hit yourself and say. ‘Why did I wait until the last minute to do that?” 'If I had done it earlier I may have even had time to proof-read for typos, then I would have gotten a better grade and my final grade would have been better.' Should have: would have; could have. The trials and tribulations of hindsight. Graduation arrives much too quickly-something we as students do not have the option to delay Well, we do. but the financial burden of one more year at Pepperdine keeps us from contemplating procrastinating graduation any longer. Shortly before graduation you see your cumulative grade point average representing the past, tremendous four years of school. This does not bring a smile to your face. The parental units are not too pleased either. Reality sets in; you can't promise yourself to bring your GPA up with vigorous studying next trimester because—there are no trimesters left. It's come down to interview time and other students (who don't procrastinate), who have higher GPA's, get the job. This sounds pretty ominous But there is a brighter side to all of this You can always go work at daddy's company and possibly inherit his position. Things are looking up. Procrastination? is it all worth it? You bet! GINA CASEY