IMAGINE THIS
12AM
This is you. Scrolling on your phone, procrastinating studying for the two upcoming tests, three essays and final project. Your small feline friend strolls up to you and nudges your hand, meowing for food. You half-heartedly dump a load of kibble in Meatball’s bowl, continuing your comfortable spiral of dopamine punches into pinches.
1:43AM
Eventually, the reels become too mundane and you reluctantly pick up your pencil to discipline yourself into academic submission.
7:00AM
The following Saturday morning is one of lethargy and “I wanna go back to sleep..” Meatball waddles up to you once again with a toy in his mouth, his beady eyes glimmering at you. You dismiss his polite offer and suddenly remember you haven’t flown a kite in a while.
9:41AM (-2h 41min)
Two hours later, you’re a bit hungry. Maybe bake some cookies? That’d be fun.
9:50AM
Oh, we’re out of eggs. Guess it’s time for the supermarket.
10:11AM (-1hr 7min)
It’s raining right now though. It’d be cool if you tried making a makeshift umbrella!
THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ACTIONS.
Before your dismissive eyes, time has quietly slipped past you, never to return again. The day skips away as you find yourself at the same 12AM before the same glowing white box with the same small meow box crawling up to you for food, a quiet weight of schoolwork piling up behind you.
If you continue this pattern, not only will your grades shrink up but your small Meatball will enlarge. Bigger and bigger will he become, as the irregular feeding times, careless portions, and the lack of playtime creeps up on him.
You’ll find yourself before the vet one day, her face sorrowful with empathy as she tells you your 50lb cat has liver disease. Treatment would be above $6000 total. The flies in your wallet start laughing at you as you look upon the difficult decision you’re forced to make.
TAKEAWAY
See how all of this could’ve been avoided if you had simply managed your time better? Time is an extremely valuable tool that is equal to all. 24 hours in a day, each precious second distributed equally among you and your peers. The main reason why in twenty years many of you end up in vastly different situations is because of how you manage your time right now.
So get off your phone. Go do that schoolwork. Feed your cat good.