Jimmy had a big problem: he had waited till the last minute to do his research paper. Although his teacher had given the class a full six weeks to get it done, Jimmy had played with his friends every afternoon. He never cracked a book or even did an online search of the subject. Now, he had two days to get it done.

Question

When he asked his mother for help, she asked how long he'd known about the assignment. He considered lying to her and blaming his teacher for not giving them enough time. He decided against that strategy because he knew his mother would call Mrs. Ransom and ask. She'd done that before, and he had gotten grounded for lying.
"I've had six weeks," he answered.
"You know Jimmy, it's not really my job to save you from your own bad decisions," she said. "You're going to have to do this on your own. I think that's the only way you're ever going to learn not to put things off. Haven't you ever heard the saying 'don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today'?"
"Oh, Mom, I can do it in two days if you'll help me."
"Sorry, son, I've got other things to do," she said. "You're on your own."
5

Answer 1

Defeated, Jimmy trudged back to his room. He glanced at the stack of books on his desk, which felt more like a mountain than a mere collection. Anxiety gnawed at him as he realized the enormity of the task ahead. He could already picture his teacher's disappointed expression when he turned in a hastily thrown-together paper.

 With a deep breath, he opened his laptop and stared at the blank document. “Okay, let’s just start,” he murmured to himself. He recalled the topic he chose—climate change—with a mix of dread and resignation. Shaking his head, he made a mental note to be more organized in the future. 

 He began by typing "climate change" into the search bar. As he skimmed through articles, he found that the subject was vast and complex. Caught between sheer panic and a desperate need for information, he spent the next few hours reading about causes, effects, and possible solutions. The more he read, the more he felt the weight of responsibility wash over him. 

 He jotted down notes, hoping to piece together a coherent argument. Eventually, fatigue set in, but he knew he couldn’t afford to stop. "Just keep going. You’ve got this," he muttered to himself, as he reached for his second cup of coffee. 

 As the sun began to set, Jimmy felt overwhelmed but slightly more confident. He had a structure to his paper: an introduction, several body paragraphs detailing the science behind climate change, the impact on the environment, and potential solutions. But he also knew he needed to spice it up with some statistics and quotes from experts to make it feel more robust. 

 After surviving a dinner of cold leftovers, he returned to his task. Hours ticked by, and he realized he was no longer just working on a paper; he was learning. He began to understand the gravity of the issue he’d chosen to write about. Suddenly, instead of frustration, a fire lit inside him. "This is important," he thought. "People need to know this."

 Around midnight, with bags under his eyes and the weariness of too much caffeine, he finally typed the last word. Heart racing, he read through the paper multiple times, deleting unnecessary phrases and polishing his arguments. Finally, at 2 a.m., he hit print and watched as the machine whirred to life.

 The next day, bleary-eyed but proud, Jimmy wobbled into class, clutching the freshly printed paper like it was a trophy. Mrs. Ransom collected the papers, and Jimmy could feel the sense of accomplishment swelling within him. 

 As he left the classroom, he couldn’t help but think about his mother’s words. This had been a hard lesson, but it was also a lesson learned. Now, he had a newfound respect for deadlines—and a realization that procrastination might not be the best ally after all.