Bwog continues to carry its tradition of sticking up for things that everybody loves to hate. From New Jersey to the PE requirement, we make sure that no underdogs go unprotected. In our latest In Defense of…  feature, Molly Andrews highlights the value to calling it quits.

Finals. That awful time of year when it feels like no matter what you do, more work crops up. It’s a circumstance we are all very familiar with here at Columbia. On more than one occasion, we have let a final project sit for so long that the once grand window of time until the due date has shrunk immensely. So what’s the protocol? Get some type of caffeine enhancement—preferably a coffee or Red Bull, plunk down in a library seat and get to it.

Whether it’s writing a paper, studying for a final, or organizing a final presentation, the pain of accomplishing the task never gets any easier until you stop thinking about doing it and actually do it. However, sometimes it’s just too late—the caffeine has left your system and your eyes simply can’t keep the curtains of your eyelids from closing. Last call—do you will yourself to open them and keep chugging along or simply accept the fact that you’ve done all you can do? Personally, I think the latter. There comes a time when no matter how hard you try you just don’t register any of the information you are trying to cram into your memory or you just can’t articulate the argument of your essay that we, as Columbia students, are all so capable of doing. So friends, when you reach that crucial point, and it’s just not sinking in no matter what you try, hit the pillows instead of the books! It’s worth your time to get some rest than to attempt to trick your mind into believing that staying up all night will enhance your performance. It’s time to call it quits and accept the fact of the matter—you did all that you could do.

Surrender Flag via Wikimedia Commons