Responsibly Riley

As some of you may know, I am the best procrastinator you'll ever know.  (I refer to my exceptional procrastination abilities in the world of academics, mostly).  I procrastinate all the time, even though I know from MANY experiences that it's a bad idea.  (Staying up until 3 am finishing AP Bio homework Sophomore year, spending hours daily for a month studying for AP American to pass the test, leaving math homework to the last possible second--AKA 2 minutes before the bell rang for class--the list could go on and on, to my utter embarrassment).

Well, it seems that I have turned over a new leaf AT LAST.  I have spent the weekend and this lovely Monday studying for a couple hours a day and getting the homework and textbook reading under control.  Today, I have come to the point that, without staying up late (I got 8 full hours of sleep last night) and without skipping out on activities (I went to 3 social events over the weekend and watched a movie with my roommates) I am a full chapter ahead in 3 of my textbooks (with the longest chapters) than the class discussions.

Maybe it's silly, maybe it's a little (or a lot) retarded that it's taken me, oh, 18 years to get to this point of maturity and responsibility, but I am so proud of myself that I've gotten here.  I intend to keep up the habit of not procrastinating and conquer the rest of my personal flaws as I can.

In other, slightly related, news, I am also working on conquering all my irrational fears.  These include, but are not limited to:

• Driving through the canyon alone in the dark (it has been a major fear for years, and I actually had to do it last weekend to get home, but I'm still afraid of it)
• Donating blood (I hate shots, I hate IVs, and the idea of willingly submitting myself to the withdrawal of blood is terrifying, but I know that it benefits the world at large and I should do it.  Still terrified)

There could be more to come on the irrational fears.  Maybe someday I'll completely get over my fear of the dark (but as long as my roommate tells me scary stories and I watch Criminal Minds, The X-Files, and The Twilight Zone, I don't think that will happen.