Is Perfectionism the Real Reason Why Students Procrastinate? We Asked Some of CCNY’s Honors Students
Words and illustrations by Sarah Logan
The end of the schoolyear has come. Students at CCNY attended the last of their classes, read theirlast assigned books and absorbed as much information as they could for theirfinals throughout this it is vital to remember that college is stressful andthat many students are studying with debilitating mental illnesses.
About halfway into thesemester of Fall 2018, I was talking with a friend about our upcoming writingassignment due in our Freshman Composition class. We were chuckling and cringingover the fact that we hadn’t even started it yet. On the inside I was stressed,although no one could really tell.
I asked my friend, who isin the Macaulay Honors College, “Why do you think we procrastinate so much?” Iknew the true answers: I didn’t want to write it, I’d much rather watchNetflix, it would be too difficult. But we started questioning why. Why don’twe just get assignments done when they need to be done?
She then talked about adiscussion she had in one of her honors classes. The professor was dealing withstressed students because of an incoming essay deadline. Then, the conversationtransitioned to the subjects of procrastination and perfectionism. Ah,perfectionism. An entity I am very familiar with.
My friend described theprofessor’s words: “She said that we procrastinate because we are bothperfectionists and honors students. We wait until the last moment to getstarted because we already know the essay won’t be perfect. We also have theadded pressure of our scholarship and our own high expectations.” I respondedwith a line I’ve used many times, although not originally mine, but some memegenius on the internet - “Diamonds are made under pressure.”
With May being MentalHealth Awareness month, I thought the topic of perfectionism would be theperfect subject to write about. How does this affect our work as students? Doesit set us back or propel us forward? I decided to analyze perfectionism andhonors students specifically, mostly because I am one myself. Does being in thehonors program make you more susceptible to perfectionism and procrastination?I asked some of my fellow classmates in the CCNY Honors Program or MacaulayHonors College.
Daniella Jimenez, afreshman studying biology says that she doesn’t believe she is a perfectionist.She doesn’t feel pressured to perform perfectly in college because of herscholarship from the honors college. Although, she finds that she does wait untilthe last minute to work on assignments. “It depends on the subject,” Jimenezresponded. “I procrastinate more when given essays to write. I study harder formy STEM courses.” I then asked her if she thought this was a byproduct of herown perfectionism. “Again, this depends on the subject, but generally no.”
“I feel like when I waituntil the last minute to complete tasks it’s easier for me to actually get itdone,” says Natia Guerrier, an undeclared freshman who is leaning towardscomputer science. “It gives me more pressure to take on the assignment,” shestated.
Anzim Sultan, a freshmanstudying physics, had something to say about his own college experience. “Idon’t feel pressure to get perfect grades because of my scholarship,” he toldme. “More to keep my status at the honors college.”
Malai O’Keeffe, who iscurrently a sophomore majoring in psychology and minoring in biochemicalengineering replied, “personally, I feel the most pressure to get perfectgrades because of my own standards. I procrastinate essays especially. Although,not so much projects and tests because they require some more time andpreparation.”
For some more of theirown opinions, I asked them what their favorite activity is to relax. AidanSubrahimovic, a sophomore studying physics says that he “sleeps a lot and laysin bed, especially during finals season.”
Sultan enjoys “talkingwith [his] friends” to combat school stress. “I watch comedies, or, moreaccurately, binge watch them. It’s my own form of relaxation.”
My favorite stressreliever is exercise. Even if it is a quick walk up and down some flights ofstairs or a walk at night with friends, I always feel refreshed and ready towork afterward.
In my own opinion, I dothink that my aversion to starting school assignments comes from a place ofboth perfectionism and fear. I’m afraid of starting work because I don’t wantto deal with the difficulties of writing. I also believe that because I am aperfectionist, I’m always reaching for goals that I can never attain. I don’tbelieve that this connects solely to being a perfectionist.
It’s fair to concludethat there are no true answers to the questions I’ve posed. Everyone’s collegeexperience is entirely different. It is hard to label only the honors studentsas perfectionists and procrastinators because each student’s situation isdifferent. Correlation cannot explain causation. Perfectionists are justdiligent, hardworking people, whether that be in the Macaulay Honors College ornot.
