I have a test today. So I preformed a ritual I've perfected since my early days in high school:

1. Determine the amount of time you'd like to study for the exam. (In this case 5 hours).

2. While avoiding, determine the amount of time you really need to squeek by (2.5 hours)

3. Self-handicap by leaving notes somewhere inconvenient (at work). Delay in finding notes (stopping by Matt and Stephanie's for social hour and dropping off wedding gift). Finally bring notes back, and proceed to exercise, eat and clean, before going to bed early without studying.

4. Set alarm to an absurdly early hour (4 a.m.) in the morning to maximize the full (5 hour) study time.

5. Hit snooze until you get to the bare minimum study time (6:00 a.m.)

6. Take an long shower, decide you'll study better at work (7:00 a.m.).

7. Procrastinate by responding to e-mail, doing actual test-unrelated work, etc.

8. Finally begin brief (1.5 hour) study period.

Hope to hell that you don't fail the test.

In college, I did the same thing, but instead of work, I usually went flying or to the newspaper office. Same effect, but probably more enjoyable. When oh when will I ever get to graduate?