Problem
Solve Before You Panic!
by
Jennifer Paolucci
It
happened in high school: You lost your paper,
your printer ran out of ink, and your dog ate
your science project. But you're in college now,
and handing your professor anything but the assignment
won't fly. So, what to do?
First,
understand that problems like these occur on college
campuses everywhere. I have run into my share
of last-minute accidents, including an unexpected
rain shower that ruined a presentation poster
I had stayed up all night putting together. (Lesson
learned: Always carry projects in waterproof bags.)
I
know your first instinct is to panic, but take
comfort in knowing we've all been there. It may
take a little time and a clear mind, but be creative,
because there is a solution -- even if things
look cloudy.
Philip
Mundo, a political science professor at Drew University,
Madison, NJ, says time management is one of the
biggest issues for students in terms of deadline
disasters. "In virtually every case, I imagine
procrastination is the problem."
Jayne
Klenner-Moore, a mass communications professor
at King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, agrees. She
recommends starting projects and papers two weeks
to a month in advance, or as soon as the assignment
is given.
Such
procrastinating predicaments, says King's College
Mass Communications Department Head Dr. Anthony
Mussari, are "student-made" obstacles.
Next on his assignment trouble list are "technology-made"
problems, including computer errors and corrupt
hard drives, even running out of printer ink.
By starting your work early, says Dr. Mussari,
these last-minute computer glitches won't affect
you. And, he notes, you should always save your
work with each revision. "You're in trouble
if you have poor time management. [If] something
goes down, you'll have no backup and no time to
redo it," he says.
One
technology-based problem I've stumbled upon a
number of times is "printer panic."
You know the story: You rush to finish the paper
at 2 a.m. the night before it's due, only to discover
your ink supply is dry (everyone else was also
printing their papers at the last minute). In
this case, I usually save my paper on a disk and
print it out early the next morning in one of
the computer labs. But had I started -- and finished
-- earlier, the computer center would have still
been open and I would have been able to get a
new cartridge without a hitch.
After
your paper is saved to disk, you may be thinking
you're in the clear. Not so fast! Always back
up your work, then back up your backup. Save the
file to your hard drive, a disk, and then even
e-mail the paper to yourself. The point is, you
want your paper stored in as many places as possible,
because at least once in your college career your
hard drive or floppy disk will inevitably erase.
If you have everything backed up in multiple locations,
you won't need to worry because there will still
be a copy of it somewhere.
Bottom line: It's so important to protect your
assignments from the unexpected. If you've painted
a picture, take it from me and store it in a waterproof
bag so it won't get ruined on the way to class.
Growing plants for biology? Throw in some extra
seeds in case some are duds. If your project looks
even the least bit edible, make sure you label
it thoroughly so one of your roommates doesn't
wake up looking for a midnight snack and start
chowing down on it.
 When
mistakes are made and projects are lost, stress
levels climb. Gerry Wall, assistant director of
counseling at King's College, says one of the
most important things is to monitor the thoughts
in your head. "Don't tell yourself you're
probably going to fail or that you must get an
A. It's important to remind yourself that you're
doing the best you can." She identifies four
factors that can add to stress: Hunger, anger,
loneliness, or tiredness. (Easily remembered by
the acronym HALT.) You may feel like you want
to sit down and not get up until you've finished
your assignment, but it's important to make sure
you don't skip meals, and get enough sleep!
Wall
says having a strong support group can often help
you cope with stress. Being away from home and
your main support group -- your family -- for
the first time can be stressful in itself. Be
sure to find a group of close friends you feel
comfortable confiding in who can offer encouragement.
Most likely they have been in similar predicaments
and will be able to offer some suggestions. Also
remember that your resident assistant (RA) is
there to help -- it's his/her job -- so take advantage
of the free advice. Strategies can be found on
the Web, too. For some quick stress-relieving
tips, for instance, visit the online Counseling
Center Village at http://ubcounseling.buffalo.edu/ccv.html.
If you feel like you've been staring at the computer
screen too long, find your friends and take a
10-minute break. Go for a walk, or joke around
to burn off some steam. Humor is important, says
Wall, so take time to watch a funny movie.
Now
that you have a clear mind, you'll be able to
look at an overwhelming situation with fresh eyes,
and hopefully find a solution. But if you've done
everything you can, it's time to look to someone
other than your peers.
If
you have exhausted all possible options, talk
to your professor. Be sincere, and honestly explain
your circumstances and everything you have done
to amend the situation. "It's best to do
this in person, if possible," Dr. Mussari
says. "Motivated by fear and insecurity,
[students] will use e-mail as a route of escape
where a simple meeting with the professor helps
give him/her a sense of the student because of
tone and body language."
Hopefully your professor will understand and give
you a day or two to redo the assignment. Take
advantage of the time, and make sure everything
about your assignment is perfect. And this time,
don't lose it.
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