1media/Red_ComicBG.jpg2018-01-24T22:11:51+00:00Perfectionism18plain2019-05-16T21:11:22+00:00Why do students procrastinate? Reasons include fear of failure, self-doubt, concerns with mistakes, lack of control, task aversion, high expectations for themselves, imposed standards of perfection by teachers, and criticism of others, including parents and peers (Flett, Blankstein, Hewitt & Koledin, 1992; Milgram et al., 1988).
In Renee Samuelson’s comic, a call from her mom brings up the parental expectations about being a “good student,” which means “always staying on top of your work.” Thus, the student feels obligated to make her parents feel “proud,” even though these expectations are a source of unpleasantness (“ugh”) for the student. Thus, Renee’s grimace and her head in her hands signals her reluctance to continue working on the literature review (“ok, fine”), even as Renee’s parents push her toward being the perfect student.
Similarly, Maria Nelson’s comic shows her making her world perfect through cleaning and organizing around her apartment, even as Maria procrastinates working on her literature review.
The student’s idea that they “should” be perfect—even when they know they are not—becomes a motive for their procrastination; there is a sense that the student is “rotten with perfection” (Burke, 1966, p. 16). And yet, somehow the student breaks through their “personal limitations,” and continues to work on the lit review. This “is the agony of spiritual growth” (Campbell, p. 190).
