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Procrastination and cramming: how adept students ace the system.

¹Mental Health Division, Columbia University Health Service, New York City.

Journal of American College Health : J of ACH

|July 1, 1990

Summary

Many university students employ a private ritual of procrastination and cramming to succeed academically. This adaptive strategy, while effective for school, can pose challenges in personal relationships and therapy.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Educational Psychology

Background:

The academic system is characterized by clear power differentials and structured tasks.
University students often adapt to this system by developing specific coping mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the private rituals students use to navigate academic demands.
To understand the implications of these adaptive behaviors in personal relationships and therapeutic settings.

Main Methods:

Qualitative analysis of student academic survival strategies.
Examination of the transferability of these strategies to interpersonal contexts.

Main Results:

Students engage in a five-part ritual: calculated procrastination, preparatory anxiety, climactic cramming, deadline management, and a sense of victory.
These adaptive behaviors, while effective academically, can be difficult to manage in personal relationships and psychotherapy.

Conclusions:

Academic rhythms and expectations significantly shape workplace behaviors.
Therapeutic interventions should focus on understanding the psychodynamic roots of these work styles rather than attempting to change them directly.

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