Essay "Procrastination and Essay Writing"

As part of his essay requirements, Joseph wrote this essay.

To Start

“It is as difficult to start things as it is to finish things” goes a famous saying. At first glance, I impulsively deemed this statement false, but when thinking about it, I find myself saying otherwise. Great things happen when something is finished: Satisfaction, experience, and the knowledge of being able to finish something. Starting something requires initial planning and steps to see it through.

Though brainstorming is seen as something uncomplicated, the idea on what exactly to start thinking about is the main problem. Let’s say Johnny has a problem starting an essay. Based on experience, Johnny knows that when he has the main idea as well as facts to support it, writing an essay is a breeze. However, before that even happens, he is at his desk fiddling with his pencil as hours go by and not a single word has been written. He has an idea of what to write except he can’t express it in words. Suppose he was to write an essay about animals, he now has to think what exactly about animals is he going to write? This is the main problem I experience when trying to create an outline for an essay. I find it very frustrating because with all the things I want to write about, I also have to organize my thoughts in a paragraph form. Finishing something is entirely different.

When an engineer designs plans, he has already relieved the builders on the planning process. The project has already begun and they need only to follow through in accordance with the plan drawings. Few fix along the way, but otherwise a straightforward process. The same thing goes for writing an essay because when an outline has been created, the writer just has to look over and add sufficient details to support sentences creating a paragraph. Finishing itself is not an entirely effortless task, but in comparison to starting something, it would seem almost trouble-free.

Pleasure comes from starting then finishing something. As a part of human nature, most people want to see something followed through all the way to the end. Very few, relish in beginning a project about halfway and completely abandoning it and no longer bothering with it. What a world we would be living in if everything was half-finished. Ultimately, the most stress comes from thinking how something’s going to start and relief follows when it’s finished so get the job done and put worries behind.