A procrastinator’s guide to surviving the ACT

A procrastinator’s guide to surviving the ACT

Make it snow.

It’s 11 p.m. and you’ve just finished the last season of your favorite T.V. series. You promised yourself you’d start studying hours ago, but you fell victim to the callous monster commonly known as laziness. If you’re a self-proclaimed procrastinator, and you’ve waited until the day before the test, the only way to get out of it is to make it snow.

 

  1. Drop an ice cube in the toilet for every inch of snow you want
  2. Put a spoon under your pillow
  3. Create a snow dance

 

Cry as much as you can.

Watch a Forrest Gump, Marley And Me, the ending scene of Titanic, any film that makes you an emotional, snotty mess works fine. If you cry as much as you can before the ACT, you’ll minimize your chances of balling in the middle of the test when you realize the only thing you’ve prepared for is failure.

 

Get comfortable.

Sitting in a desk for hours can be frustrating and claustrophobic, and if your snow dance was unsuccessful, and you know you’re going to do badly, you might as well get comfortable. Pack a blanket, heated pad (who doesn’t like being toasty) and a small pillow if you want to reach maximum relaxation. Well, as relaxed as you can be during the ACT.

 

Practice witchcraft.

There’s five minutes to go and you realize you still have 20 questions left. Spending the last few minutes frantically filling in as many bubble as possible while cursing your past self for giving into procrastination isn’t the way to go. A good student is willing to do anything to get a good grade, and the best way to beat the clock, is stop the clock.

Earth, wind, fire and sea. I order time to stop for me.

Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Above all things, remember that this is only one ACT. Getting a bad grade isn’t the end of the world. Recognize that you’re human and you’re allowed to make mistakes.