How to Avoid Procrastination, as told by the Owl Creeks

For the average Kenyon student, just being able to finish the copious amounts of homework assigned each class period is a daunting feat. Despite this, dozens of brave individuals each year join countless extra-curricular activities, ranging from literary magazines and sports teams, to the less well-known Kenyon fishing club. 

 

Some of the most popular of these extracurricular clubs are Kenyon’s various a cappella groups. With nearly ten different groups to choose from, it’s only natural that a large group of students audition for them each year. With all of their other responsibilities and their heavy work loads, how are these students able to handle nightly rehearsals in addition to writing countless essays throughout the semester? 

 

Freshman, member of The Owl Creek Singers, and member of The Stairwells Emily Fritze explains how she has adjusted to her Kenyon workload, and her responsibilities to the Creeks: “The a cappella groups are at night, so I do my work scattered through out the day,” Fritze said.  If classes and homework during the day prove to be too much work, Fritze also mentioned that it’s possible to find other options: “If you’re stressed out during a test or something, you can just bring your book to a cappella and sift through it while you’re not singing.”

 

Senior and fellow member of the Owl Creeks Jane Rosenfeld also shared her tips for how to conquer homework, and one of the many benefits she’s found from participating in an a cappella group: “After three full years in a Kenyon a capella group, I think I’ve finally gotten the hang of making productive use of my time. As weird as this seems, knowing that I have a cappella each night of the week at 10:15 has really helped make sure that I get all of my work done earlier in the day,” Rosenfeld stated. If being productive during a specific period of the day, like Rosenfeld suggests, is too difficult for you, there are quite a few other strategies that can be employed in order to ensure that you have enough time for homework, activities, and even sleep.

 

After a long day of classes, your tiny twin bed looks extremely appealing, but it’s important to avoid the urge to take a quick, or long, nap. Taking homework to quiet locations like the library or the top floor of Ascension Hall can help remove the temptation to sleep, and promote actual productivity.

 

Another helpful tip to decrease procrastination is to turn off all electronics while studying. Twitter and Instagram are fun, but receiving a good grade on an English essay is much more rewarding. Taking time away from texting will guarantee that your entire mind is focused on work, and not on other unnecessary distractions. 

 

Once you learn how to conquer distractions and procrastination, having time for extra curricular activities such as a cappella groups should be no problem. All of the many groups at Kenyon offer the opportunity to express students’ inner talents and passions, and are a great ways to make lifelong friends. Don’t let worries about time management deter you – joining an a cappella group could turn out to be the best part of your time at Kenyon, just as it was for Rosenfeld.

 

“Being a part of the Owl Creeks has definitely been my favorite part of being at Kenyon. We’re really such a close group of friends who more than anything just like hanging out with each other. It’s also just so great singing together and making music just because it’s fun and we like each other enough to do so. That sounds silly, but it’s true.”