While not everyone identifies with the many labels or symbols in the greater LGBTQIA+ community (which is completely valid in of itself), many others do and the “true” meanings and boundaries of all of them are often discussed and debated. These often revolve around the plethora of flags that have been created to recognize the diversity in our community, and the Transgender Pride Flag is no stranger in this regard. When having these conversations, it is important to remember that gatekeeping and invalidating the identities of others is never going to be the right answer in all of this, even when disagreements or misunderstandings do occur. As a history student, I may be biased as I put a lot of weight on the literal intention of the creators in the inception, creation, and application of these symbols. In some cases, however, meanings can change or be expanded but more often than not if people don’t feel like they are fully represented by one label or symbol, new ones are made. With all of that said, I will be sharing the origins of the Transgender Flag as we know it today and how myself and others can fit into in ways many may not know of!
Monica Helms’ created the Transgender Pride Flag, commonly known as “the Transgender Flag”, in 1999. She came out as a transgender woman in 1987 and in the years leading up to her creating the flag became deeply involved in trans advocacy. In a 2017 interview, she claimed that it was with the urging of Michael Page, who created the Bisexual Pride Flag, that she filled the need of providing one for the trans community ("Monica Helms," Transilient). According to Helms herself, the meaning of her flag is as follows: The stripes at the top and bottom are light blue, the traditional color for baby boys. The stripes next to them are pink, the traditional color for baby girls. The stripe in the middle is white, for those who are transitioning or consider themselves having a neutral or undefined gender (Iovannone, "A Brief History of the Transgender Pride Flag"). On a personal note, I had no clue that was the original meaning of the white stripe until recently! To be fair, I only realized that I was nonbinary last year, thus I had not pondered the subject very often prior to that point. My original understanding of it encompassed the component of transition and my additional interpretation was that it meant to erase a prescribed identity that one did not agree with. In part, the latter assumption wasn’t incorrect, but I didn’t think that I was explicitly included in the symbolism of the flag as a nonbinary person. Though I identify with other gender identities and their flags (the Nonbinary, Genderqueer, and Demiboy ones to name a few), I am immensely appreciative to be included in Helms’. With that knowledge, I do feel great pride in using or sometimes wearing her flag, though I recognize that not all nonbinary or gender nonconforming people identify as trans themselves. To me, much like the Rainbow Flag, it serves as a welcoming umbrella for all who identify with it to any capacity. Unfortunately, in spite of Helms’ inclusive definition, many people in the trans community do tend to gatekeep other trans people in terms of who “can” use and identify with the flag or with who is actually trans in general. I will never understand the need to police people and their bodies, especially in our own community. Whether it is in regard to not being comfortable with the fact that some do not adhere to the gender binary or choose to not transition in ways that are more commonly accepted by the majority (if they choose to transition at all), we have to do better as a community as life is hard enough for all of us outside of it. Even if one does not identify as trans in the same way another does, that does not and cannot make anyone “less trans” than the other. We are all still in very real danger today, especially our youth, and need to take good care of each other. To give a further interpretation of Helm’s Transgender Pride Flag based on a deeper understanding of it, I think it is safe to say that it symbolizes that we can all be different and coexist as one entity at the same time, no matter our specific gender identities or expressions. - Bek Works Cited and Further Reading Iovannone, Jeffrey J. "A Brief History of the Transgender Pride Flag." Medium, 27 July 2017, medium.com/queer-history-for-the-people/a-brief-history-of-the-transgender-pride-flag-93c1c2a1c39. Katz, Joeli. "LGBT historical items celebrated at the Smithsonian." GLAAD, 20 Aug. 2014, www.glaad.org/blog/lgbt-historical-items-celebrated-smithsonian. "Monica Helms." Transilient, 19 Aug. 2017, wearetransilient.com/interview-gallery-archive/2017-monica-helms.
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By Maddy One of my close friends is very talented in making crochet stuffed animals. After seeing all of these adorable little animals he had been making, I thought it could be an interesting idea to try for myself. Although most of my crafting endeavors end in me abandoning the project altogether, I am more determined to learn how to crochet. I recently moved back to Seattle after living at home during Covid-19 and since I don’t have my dog or my cat to keep me entertained, I thought that taking up a new hobby could be a fun way for me to decompress. Learning how to crochet is going to be challenging, but I am excited to be able to make things. Considering that my friend is able to help me learn to crochet, I figured it would be best to start with learning the basics first. I was debating taking up knitting instead of crochet but after doing some research I realized that knitting is much more complex than crochet. There are a few major key differences between crochet and knitting in what they allow you to create. Crocheting projects involve the use of one hooked needle and it allows for more creativity in the style of stitches. This needle can come in a wide range of sizes to accommodate the type of yarn being used. The yarn materials of today mostly include polyester, wool, cotton, etc. Knitting typically involves two large needles that can vary in size depending on what you are making. Knitting is typically more advanced in that the designs are more intricate. Crocheting seems like a great place to start learning how to work with yarn and to start learning more simple patterns or designs. I decided to go on Etsy and purchase a beginners kit for learning how to crochet. It includes a 5.5mm hook, yarn, and beginners tutorial. The kit was intended to be used to make a specific patterned washcloth, but I decided to just start watching YouTube tutorials about how to start the stitches. I thought that this video was pretty helpful in the instructions as it is intended for beginners who come from a place of no prior experience. After learning some of the basics, like how to start and continue the chain, my friend helped me out with looping it back around. The stitches are not totally complicated but it does require a lot of dexterity and focus on how many stitches you are doing. After practicing for a few weeks now, I can confidently say that I can complete a square pattern! The next step is learning how to make circle or sphere patterns so that I can make more intricate things like stuffed animals. Learning this new craft has been a fun way for me to relax and be completely focused on one thing at a given time. If you are interested in learning this fun craft, I would recommend researching tutorial videos and finding some yarn if you already have some or purchasing crochet yarn as well as a basic crochet hook. Sources:What’s the Difference Between Crocheting and Knitting? Crochet Through History History of Crochet Knitting Versus Crocheting: What’s the Difference and Which Should You Learn? How to Crochet for Absolute Beginners: Part 1 By Sabrina Over the past year, I embarked on a journey to read more Black authors, specifically reading Black feminist work. In Fall Quarter I was able to take a class on Black Feminist Literature and look at different depictions and facets of Black women’s experiences in America. This class focused on the intersectionality of racism and sexism that Black women experience and the stereotypes they face. So this is a) an appreciation post for these wonderful books and their equally amazing authors, and b) a sign to branch out and read some new books! Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) Hurston was born in Notasulga, Alabama on January 7, 1891 but grew up in Eatonville, Florida, the nation’s first Black township. Her mother died when she was 13 and after she struggled to finish school and work. She ultimately joined a traveling troupe and traveled before landing in Baltimore in 1917. Once here Hurston was determined to finish high school and claimed she was 16 instead of 26 to join the local public high school. From that moment on she would present herself as 10 years younger than she really was. Hurston later graduated from Barnard College in New York City in 1928 and enjoyed being in the center of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance along with friend Langston Hughes. By 1935, Hurston had published several short stories, a novel, and a collection of Black Southern folklore and she would publish her best known work, Their Eyes Were Watching God, just two years later. Hurston went on to write countless other novels before she died in Fort Pierce, Florida on January 28, 1960. While she was able to receive her well-earned acclaim in 1942 after publishing her autobiography, she never received the financial awards of her work before her death. (Hurston) Hurston was also an anthropologist with expertise in African American and Carribean folklore in addition to her work as an author. She traveled to Jamaica and Haiti and even lived in Honduras for a period of time for her anthropological work. She actually wrote Their Eyes Were Watching God while doing fieldwork in Haiti. The novel itself follows protagonist Janie as she discovers herself over the course of her life and three marriages, intertwining themes of sexuality, femininity, and social status. The story is being told by Janie to her friend Pheoby, therefore highlighting the most important aspects of her life and centering her own experiences and emotions as a Black woman. Additionally the novel utilizes African American Vernacular English or AAVE to tell the story, adding to the storytelling and spoken word aspect of the story. The use of AAVE also worked to push boundaries of the time, as AAVE was not considered “academic” language for a novel, especially not for one which would later become so popular. Lorraine Hansberry (1930-1965) Hansberry was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 19, 1930. Her parents donated to the NAACP and were part of the Supreme Court case Hansberry v Lee that made restrictive covenants illegal; this was after the family moved into a white neighborhood and was harassed by neighbors, leading to the initial court case that ordered them to move. Hansberry later dropped out of college and moved to New York City where she worked for progressive Black newspapers and wrote in addition to waitressing. While writing for The Ladder in 1957, Hansberry wrote about feminism and homophobia, and concealed her real identity by writing under her initials in fear of discrimination exposing for her lesbian identity. She is best known for her first play, A Raisin in the Sun, which debuted on March 11, 1959 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. It went on to be the first play written by an African American woman to be performed on Broadway, get a cross-country tour, and win the New York Critics’ Circle award, in addition to her being the youngest American to win this award. She became active in the Civil Rights Movement in 1963 and released a second play in 1964 that was not embraced like her first. (Hansberry) The play itself follows the Younger family after their father’s death and the pondering of what the insurance money should go towards. The play follows four main characters: Ruth, her husband Walter, his mother Lena (referred to as Mama), and his sister Beneatha. Each member of the family has their own ideas and dreams they want to achieve with the money, highlighting the struggles of poverty. The play’s theme and title also refers to Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem” and what happens when dreams are deferred. Issues of identity, justice, and moral responsibility encounter aspects of the Civil Rights Movement and women’s movement within the play, specifically in reference to redlining and Black male misogyny. Gayl Jones Jones was born in Lexington, Kentucky on November 23, 1949. She credits her love of writing to her mother, who inspired her to start writing at seven after watching her mother write down her own original stories to tell Jones and her brother. Jones graduated from Connecticut College in 1971 and went on to earn a Master and Doctor of Arts from Brown University in 1973 and ‘75 respectively. Jones released her first novel Corregidora in 1975 with the help of Toni Morrison, an editor at Random House. She released another novel, a collection of short stories, and two collections of poems over the next several years. In addition to writing, Jones was a professor at University of Michigan until she moved to Europe in 1983. She later released a novel and another collection of poems in Germany. She moved back to the US in 1988 and is currently living here. She went on to write two more novels before 2000. (G. Jones) Jones’ first work, Corregidora, follows the story of Ursa as she tries to discover her sense of self. Ursa grew up with the maternal side of her family and learned their generational trauma regarding abuse from men. Ursa finds herself living her life in order to be with men and have kids to continue passing down their family history. However once she is unable to have kids, she turns her focus to pursuing her goals as a blues singer. The novel follows the rhythm of a blues song, a theme that Jones used in a lot of her work. Additionally, as Ursa confronts the trauma in her own life, she is also forced to confront her family’s generational trauma and the impact it has had on her over the course of the novel. (TW: this story has depictions of an assault that leads to infertility, sexual assault, and incest.) Tayari Jones Jones was born in Atlanta, Georgia on November 30, 1970. Her parents were both professors at nearby colleges and were involved in the Civil Rights Movement during the ‘60s. Jones graduated from Spelman College, a historically Black women’s college in Atlanta, in 1971 where she was inspired to start writing by different mentors and authors’ works, such as Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. Jones went on to get a Masters in English from University of Iowa in 1994 and a Masters in Fine Arts from Arizona State University (ASU) in 2000. Many of her novels hold influence from events in her childhood, such as the setting of her first novel, Leaving Atlanta, on the backdrop of the Atlanta Child Murders of 1979-81. This novel was released while she was at ASU and her second novel was released in 2005. Her third novel, Silver Sparrow, was released in 2011 and drew inspiration from her step-sisters and their lack of a relationship after being raised apart. Her latest novel is An American Marriage and was released in February 2018. On the same day it was released, Oprah added it to her book club and later former president Barack Obama added it to his 2018 summer reading list. Jones has won a number of awards for her work, such as the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, NEA Fellowship, and United States Artist Fellowship. In addition, she won the Women’s Prize for Fiction, Aspen Words Prize, and NAACP Image Award for An American Marriage. (Jones, awards) The novel An American Marriage follows three main characters, Celestial, Roy, and Andre. At the start of the novel, Celestial and Roy are enjoying their first years of marriage together when he is arrested and sent to jail. Jones then switches her writing style to letters to show the communication and evolving relationship between Celestial and Roy, despite them being apart. The novel skips forward five years as Roy is being released from prison and has to find his place in the world again. Meanwhile Celestial has grown her business without him and has built a relationship with Andre, Celestial’s childhood friend and Roy’s best man. Initially there was pushback against the novel as Celestial prioritizes her own happiness and mental health rather than supporting Roy unconditionally, as is expected from the wife of an inmate. However the novel leaves a powerful commentary on the effect that prison has, not only on those incarcerated but their loved ones on the outside and the difficulties of re-entering a society that has continued moving on without you. I hope that if you didn’t know who these authors were before, or even if you did, that you learned something new. Additionally I hope you check these books out since they are so good or try reading other books by these authors. They really help showcase different stereotypes and modes of oppression for Black women and how Black feminism operates. They helped widen my worldview and gave me different perspectives to consider so I hope they are able to do the same for you. I graduated with my Master’s degree in Spanish Linguistics and Literature from the University of Virginia Tech in 2017. Even though my doctorate degree is challenging and demanding at Seattle University, getting my Master’s Degree while working full time, two jobs, and a boyfriend (now husband) in medical school was one of the hardest things I have ever done. It may be the thing I will forever be most proud of in my life and is why I am constantly wearing Virginia Tech sweatshirts and t-shirts. I am one of the only people in my family to continue schooling beyond a bachelor’s degree and no one had written a graduate thesis. My family is almost entirely engineers. When I began writing, I was naive about the process. I like to write and I assumed that it would be easier than reading centuries old Spanish texts for my classwork. I was excited to really focus on a topic that I enjoyed. While this was partially true, writing a Master’s thesis was one of the most challenging things I have ever done. So if you too are embarking on an incredible journey of research, nerves, drafting and redrafting here are my top 10 things I wish I knew before attempting a Master’s Thesis (listed in the order in which I wish I had known them):
By Sabrina Over the past year, I embarked on a journey to read more Black authors, specifically reading Black feminist work. In Winter Quarter I was able to take a seminar class on Toni Morrison and focus solely on her work and its major themes. I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to take that course and learn so much valuable information that I decided to share this newfound knowledge as well as encourage people to read these books. While some people were able to read some of these novels in high school, I never got that opportunity and since reading have realized how much I missed out by not reading her sooner. So this is a) an appreciation post for these wonderful books and their equally amazing author, and b) a sign to read them if you haven’t! First some background on who Toni Morrison was. Toni Morrison (1931-2019) Morrison was born in Lorain, Ohio on February 18, 1931 and spent her childhood there. She went on to get a Master’s in English Literature and taught as a teacher before becoming the first Black female editor for Random House in New York City in the late 1960s. While working as an editor, Morrison used her position to help get other Black writers published, such as Gayl Jones and Muhammad Ali. Around the same time Morrison became an editor, she started writing herself and later published her first novel, The Bluest Eye, in 1970. She has gone on to write 11 novels in total, including Sula (1973), Song of Solomon (1977), Beloved (1987), Home (2012), and more; her last published novel was God Save the Child in 2015 and was released 4 years before her death. Her novels revolve around the Black American experience and rejecting the white gaze, leading to criticism and the banning of some of her novels. In 1993, Morrison was fully recognized for her literary talent when she won the Nobel Prize for Literature, along with other awards and honors throughout her literary career. (If you want to know more, I highly recommend watching her documentary Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (2019) on Amazon or Hulu.) Now about her writing! I was able to read five of her novels and her writing is exquisite, I’m looking forward to reading more so I’m sure any books you read by her will be great. However, I can only speak of the ones I have read, so below is a very brief synopsis and some symbolism that I found powerful to note or track while you read each novel. In addition to her novels, Morrison has also written some short stories and poetry (5 poems here). My personal favorite poem is “Eve Remembering” and is a reimagining of the Christian Original Sin story. I also highly recommend reading the short story “Recitatif” (an ok pdf copy here) which is about the relationship between a Black girl and white girl over the years from childhood to motherhood and tackles ideas of prejudice by utilizing ambiguity. (The quotes used are some of my personal favorite quotes from each novel, although most connect to a larger theme as well.) Her first novel The Bluest Eye tells the story of Pecola, a little Black girl who wishes for blue eyes, and her friendship with Claudia, another little Black girl and the narrator of the story. By framing the story through the perspective of Black girls, Morrison is making a commentary on girlhood and how young expectations of white beauty are thrust onto these children. (TW: this story includes depictions of sexual assault and incest.) Morrison builds on the idea of girlhood by looking at positive childhood friendships in Sula and what happens once those girls become women. Sula follows Nel and Sula’s friendship from girlhood to womanhood, noting the role that death and its impact, the community, and male relationships play in strengthening or weakening their friendship. In Song of Solomon, Morrison switches from a female perspective to a male one, but continues to write using a feminist lens. Song of Solomon follows Milkman as he tries to figure out who he is and find his place in the world, only being able to do so once he journeys South and learns about his family history. The relationships that Milkman has with the women in his life help show his connection to his surroundings and can be used to measure his growth throughout the novel. Morrison switches back to a female perspective in Beloved. The story centers on Sethe’s experiences as an escaped slave and the relationship she has with her daughters, Beloved and Denver. Unfortunately, Beloved was killed as an infant but is able to return as a young woman in the novel, and can be read as a physical manifestation of trauma. The relationship between Denver and the community or outside world is also a subplot worth paying attention to. The novel addresses the abuse that slaves got and the trauma it inflicted on them, while also investigating the power of a mother’s love, especially since female slaves were not typically allowed to actually be mothers. (TW: this story includes depictions of sexual assault and infanticide.) The final book I read was Home and this book was pretty different in style from Morrison’s other works. While the story focuses on Frank, a Black Korean war veteran with PTSD, and his sister Cee, there are multiple perspectives shared and the chapters switch between narration and Frank’s inner thoughts. The story follows Frank and Cee’s hero journeys and is a testament to the power of community as a source of healing. Toni Morrison was a truly gifted writer who was able to bring her characters to life and create a visceral reading experience by getting readers invested and able to feel the events of her novels. Her novels should be taught more often and with the care that they deserve to truly address the meaningful issues discussed within the text. I hope that one of these novels interests you and that by reading you are able to grow your mindset and perspective like I did, while also falling in love with Morrison’s work.
By Elena It’s finally springtime in Seattle, and I don’t know about you, but I’m relieved to finally see the sun again. Although I am a fan of clouds and rain, I’m from Phoenix, Arizona, so the adjustment when I moved to the PNW for college four years ago was pretty difficult as soon as winter hit and the gray days began. It actually got so difficult that I found myself struggling a lot with seasonal depression and found it increasingly hard to get out of bed and do simple tasks, especially when it came to self-care (which, of course, just makes depression worse). I also really missed my cat, who I had left back in Phoenix. Usually, taking care of my cat would help me to remember to take care of myself, because it’s pretty hard to not get out of bed when you have an apparently starving feline yowling in your face. But pets weren’t allowed in our dorm. So, in a stroke of desperation, I bought a plant. Important context: I was never a plant person. In fact, in my freshman year, I was pretty confident that I killed every plant I touched, so the choice to pick up a $5 unnamed plant in a weird pot from Trader Joe’s was truly my last resort, and I was already preparing myself for heartbreak when it inevitably died. Some ill-fated but very cute succulents – turns out succulents are NOT the easiest plants to take care of when you live in a place with 0 sunlight. Anyway, I didn’t really think it would work. Taking care of plants is nothing like taking care of cats, but I just needed another living thing in my space to tend to so that I would have a reason to get up and be a semi-functional human every day. Then the strangest thing happened: the plant didn’t die. More like, I couldn’t kill it. I had no idea what I was doing, so it’s a miracle that the plant stayed alive, but the fact that it did meant that I was able to actually learn and figure out how to be a good plant parent. I got really into figuring out what the mysteriously label-less grocery store plant was (it’s a Peperomia obtusifolia Variegata, or variegated baby rubber plant) and once I did that, I learned how to give it what it actually needed to not just stubbornly survive, but thrive. And suddenly my days seemed a little bit less gray. Don’t get me wrong – some of the plants that I got after that first one definitely met tragic, tragic ends. But I learned not to give up and to do my research about which plants were tough and right for my space, and as of today, my living space is filled with very happy plants which add some color and joy to even the darkest of Seattle days. Maude is also a plant fan – both peperomias and African violets are pet-safe! And now that it’s springtime, it’s the best time of year to get a plant! If you’ve been wanting to get a plant but just don’t know where to start and/or fear that you too may be a menace to anything green, this post is for you! Below are some of the tips that I found most useful when beginning my plant adventures: HELP. WHY DO ALL MY PLANTS DIE?
HOW TO KEEP PLANTS HAPPY
Grocery store herbs are infamously easy to kill – I put 2 smaller basil plants in one bigger pot, gave them lots of sunshine, fertilizer, and watered when they wilted...and got fresh basil leaves for homemade pesto for a whole year! No garden needed; just a little apartment windowsill space. PLANTS THAT WILL BE FORGIVING
Pothos come in many kinds! Left: Golden Pothos; Right: Silver Pothos SOME OF MY FAVORITE PLANT THINGS:
Plant Shop Seattle (Cap Hill)
By Sabrina Klindworth
As an English and Humanities major a lot of my classes are reading and writing heavy, which means I read a ton of articles and books and write a couple less but still a lot of papers each quarter. I also unfortunately identify as a procrastinator; I can never seem to find motivation to start a paper until an hour before its due (for shorter papers. For longer 8-10 page papers, the day of will do it for me.) While this might sound counter productive as a Writing Consultant, I have a lot of good advice to share with others to help them with their papers, I’m just not good with managing my time or getting my own motivation going. This means I have so much respect every time someone comes in for help on their paper before it's due because I could never do that. So if you are like me, and I know you exist cause 95% of people procrastinate to some degree (Mind Tools), let’s get into some tips so we can work on not procrastinating together! Note: Any examples used are real examples from my personal life. 1. Notice when you are procrastinating, ask why and if possible create a solution. One way to start tackling procrastination tendencies is to notice when you are doing them and why. If you notice that every time you sit down at your desk you end up doom-scrolling on Instagram or Tiktok, then ask why you felt the need to check your phone. Honestly I think I might be addicted to mine, so I try to leave my phone somewhere I can’t physically reach it from my desk and so I can’t check it as often without physically getting up. However, reflecting on why you are procrastinating shouldn’t just apply to the tools you use to distract yourself from the task at hand but should also focus on why you are avoiding that task in particular. Knowing that I get super anxious before making phone calls makes me not want to do them, but acknowledging that I’m putting off the task because I don’t want to feel anxious can help me feel more empowered to tackle that anxiety and get it over with. If you are a perfectionist, starting an essay can be especially stressful if you are afraid of failing at it or don’t think you have “good” writing skills. By understanding what emotions you are trying to avoid by procrastinating, you can become better prepared to recognize them and work with them to tackle that task. Note: For some people, procrastination is also a symptom of ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and depression (Mind Tools). If this is the case for you, or you think it may be, you can find additional support and advice from trained professionals that may be better suited to your needs. 2. Create a space for focus. Once you are able to identify what distracts you, creating a space free of these distractions and trying to always get work done in that space can help you become more productive. If your brain starts to associate that space with focus and productivity, you’ll be able to get more done in that space. For me, my focus space is sitting at my desk with music playing in the background. Some people recommend Mario Kart music for writing essays but I like to listen to Brown Noise, it's a lower frequency than White Noise, especially when I’m reading. Recently I’ve been listening to this 10 Hour ADHD Focus Music on YouTube if you want to check it out. While working, my phone is either face down, hidden in a drawer from my line of sight, or completely out of reach depending on how much trouble I have focusing. To limit the amount of times I get up, I’ll have a cup of water next to me and if you’re feeling hungry, grab a snack before sitting down. My goal is always to try to get as much done as I can once I sit down without getting back up again. However if I notice that I’ve been distracted checking email or on my phone for more than 10 minutes, I’ll get up and move away from my desk to try to preserve that space as an area of focus. When you create your focus space and go to sit down, pick what assignment you are focused on and what you want to tackle so you can stay on track. If you’re getting overwhelmed by a project that just feels so big, try setting a timer for 5 minutes and see what you can chip away at, even if it’s making a plan on how to tackle it in the future, breaking the task into smaller chunks, brainstorming, or outlining, that’s progress! This is similar to the idea of setting a timer for a set amount of time and sitting down and just working on one of your tasks to break a procrastination slump and encourage focus (Loder). Having a set amount of time allows you to know when you will get a break, but also can encourage your competitive side to try and get something done in that time period. If you continue to feel focused after the time is up, ride that energy and take a break when you feel you need it. 3. Change your mindset While it is easy to shame ourselves for not being perfectly productive robots every second of the day, it’s a lot harder to accept our procrastination as a positive thing. I often feel angry at myself for procrastinating since I get wayyy more stressed the longer I wait, which only makes me want to procrastinate more and thus creates a vicious cycle. In these situations, acknowledging that we feel guilty for watching that next episode also means forgiving ourselves for taking a longer break than we had intended. Be kind to yourself and celebrate small victories, like reading 4 out of the 5 articles your professor assigned (and yes #5 was the longest, but it’s okay). In addition to being kind, working on rephrasing our internal dialogue around tasks can help us feel more motivated to complete. Instead of saying “I need to do x” or “I have to do y before class” try saying “I am choosing to do x right now” or “I want to get y done before class” (Mind Tools). By taking ownership of these tasks, you're giving yourself agency and control over the situation so it isn’t something out of your hands but something manageable. 4. Make it fun! There are lots of ways to make getting work a little bit more fun. Rewarding yourself when you complete a task is one way to boost motivation. It can be a chocolate once you finish that reading or telling yourself to work for an extra 15 minutes before getting up so you can make something a little nicer for dinner. Having an accountability buddy is also helpful, especially if you have trouble listening to yourself and your self imposed deadlines. This can be someone who works on the project with you or just does their own thing on the opposite side of the room so they can stop you before you’re spiraling on Tiktok for an hour (shout out to my partner!). You can even up the ante with your buddy and set a time limit with a prize at the end. An example being: If I can write this essay by Thursday at 5 pm, you have to buy me dinner. If I don’t finish it, then I buy you dinner (Loder). This can be a fun way to boost competition, just make sure that the time limit isn’t impossible for you. Another fun way to boost focus is to build the habit of listening to a procrastination power song that energizes you before you focus on a task you’ve been avoiding. This song will also act as a cue for the brain that it’s time to focus if that song becomes a habit (Loder). Finally getting organized with a small to-do list will also help you be more productive. Try to choose only a few tasks to focus on each day so your list doesn’t overwhelm you. I’ve started bullet journaling again (I did briefly in 2018) to help my to-do lists be organized in a way that benefits me and also looks cute. The way I have my journal set up I can see what I accomplished each day for that week, what I didn’t finish the day before that shifts over to the current day, and I have a space for weekly goals (you can find that post here). I hope you’re able to find some new ideas to try and that you’ll be able to find success in focusing. This time is hard for everyone and focusing on schoolwork is the last thing I want to be doing right now. But finding little ways to make it better and more bearable will lead to lower levels of stress which can make a big difference on your physical, emotional, and mental health. Now that you’ve finished reading, maybe try working on that thing you’re avoiding (you know what I mean). Sources: Loder, Vanessa. “10 Scientifically Proven Tips for Beating Procrastination.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 26 Apr. 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/vanessaloder/2016/04/15/10-scientifically-proven-tips-for-beating-procrastination/?sh=4fc3b5f9296a. Mind Tools, Content Team. “How Can I Stop Procrastinating?: Overcoming the Habit of Delaying Important Tasks.” Procrastination - How Can I Stop Procrastinating? with MindTools.com, www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_96.htm. |
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January 2024
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