To give you an idea, I originally planned to have a draft ready by President's Day. Then it got pushed back to after spring break. Then delayed till Easter.

I finally turned it in Wednesday of finals week, at midnight. Actually it was more like 1 a.m.

It may seem funny that procrastinators lurk in a deadline-oriented environment like a newsroom, but I have a lot of company here at the Collegian. Newspapers have short-term demands, but we struggle to plan further than a day ahead.

Personally though, I have been a procrastinator since first grade, when I recall throwing out some excess math assignments to ensure myself more time at the activity centers.

So as a self-proclaimed expert in time-wasting I thought I would share some tips on how to make the most of your time:

1. Never visit AddictingGames.com or play Virtual Drug Dealer

These are two crazes that have swept our offices and I dare say it is one of the worst things to happen here. All I'll say is that I got assigned this column because the guy who was supposed to write it started playing games and has never been heard from again.

2. Never write a paper in a dirty room, without clean clothes, or on an empty stomach

There is such thing as positive procrastination. Instead of sitting and staring at a blinking cursor, get up and do something. I personally feel like I work better when my mind is at ease about everything else in my life.

3. Discover classical music

I listen to music whenever I have work to do, but serious work requires serious music. I personally used The Lord of the Rings soundtrack to write my senior thesis. If Beethoven makes babies smarter, it should be able to help you focus.

4. Spend a night in the Pattee stacks

If you have a research paper to do, the stacks are the place to be. Cramped spaces, rows of books, and dead silence are all good study buddies. And you really shouldn't graduate from Penn State without spending at least one evening in the library.

5. Don't make a deal with yourself if you're a cheater

I often tell myself I can have fun tonight as long as I work tomorrow. Then tomorrow I go and ignore my work again. Your time in college is short and you should make the best of it, but you have to be realistic. You can't write a 20-page paper two hours before it's due.

You may be wondering how I managed to finish this column. There's a simple answer, though. The more time I spend on this column, the less time for finishing all my other schoolwork.