The joys of a last minute life

‘If it weren’t for the last minute, I wouldn’t get anything done’.

- Anon

I believe that this simple quotation defines my existence. Working until the moment before something is due in is not an unfamiliar concept to me or most people of my age. I don’t think there is anything I have ever done that hasn’t been benefitted with a little last minute action. Even when I have promised myself that this piece of coursework will be the one that I finish early, I still manage to conveniently forget my oath and apologetically start it the night before.

Sometimes, I fall under the impression that I have started an assignment before time (for once) and I only have a few words left to type before it is complete (but that can be done the night before, can’t it?) I then look back through the mass of words before me and realise that my mind must have been engaging in some sort of cruel deception: the mass of words doesn’t actually look that massive. In fact, I’ve only completed the introduction. And guess when it is due for?

Consequently, my hope for an early night is washed away with six mugs of coffee and any thought of waking up early for a run is subsequently drowned (not that I would wake up early anyway – especially for a exercise. Running is a last minute activity only engaged in when you are late).

You may complain that youths of today are being lazy and procrastinating endlessly, but I argue that we do it because we enjoy the rush of watching our marathon typing fingers tap away endlessly at the keyboard for that important essay due in the next day. Our rushes of joy are through our wonderful, last minute lives (and the reasons we have left it until the last minute in the first place...)