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College papers conjure my most potent memories of writing under pressure. I can still feel the hard desk chair in my single dorm room and see the glare of the florescent light while I stayed up until all hours of the night writing a paper I had all intentions of finishing early. Sustained by my "food box," an under-the-bed storage box full of treats and snacks from my grandma, I typed with one hand, and shoveled popcorn in with the other. I burned through bags of Hershey's minis like a furnace, feeding my brain. I found that I did my best thinking after reading and digesting for days. My favorite paper of all time related post-WWII development in Florida to artists and painters. I spent days on my bed with books spread around me. At the very last possible second, I would finally commit. All at once, my ideas would flow easily onto the paper. It just took several hours to organize and proof-read them.

When traveling, I always prepare. I plan huge events, and always sleep easy the night before, as my preparations are made and I have nothing to fear. I go to the movie in the afternoon before I host a big dinner party. I am methodical-in every sphere except for my writing.

While creating something interesting, I find that my best work comes from spur of the moment, last-minute, crunch-time, under pressure deadlines. Between the razor thin lines of late and barely made it, my most creative ideas take flight. I have now come to see that my good grades sprung as much from preparation as creating a sense of urgency for myself, thus opening the doors to my most authentic thoughts.

I spent four years writing my Master's thesis. I had a five year deadline for the project, which was obviously too long. I dallied. When my adviser finally told me he was retiring, I got to work and finished.

Now that I have launched a freelance career, I understand the pressure to be creative on topics of amazing breadth and depth at the word "go!" However, I still find myself up until late at night, or rising early before work to finish my projects. I create my own deadlines to keep myself fresh.

I am lucky to have completed most of my staggeringly meaningful writing projects in the age of the computer. I would not have had the luxury of procrastination had I been restricted to a typewriter and carbon paper. I may not have kept writing at all! For a long time, I still hand-wrote drafts of essays, until I cut it close one too many times.

Learn more about this author, Katherine Elzer-Peters.
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