Last week was busy — thirteen classes, three tests, three loads of laundry, two columns, an intramural soccer game, a lecture, a haircut, eight hours of driving and Late Night with Bill Self in Lawrence, Kan.

It was almost too much. By Tuesday I worried my head was going to explode — by Wednesday I caught a cold and found myself hoping it would.

But as these words’ publication surely proves, I survived.

And, looking back on that busy midterm week, I’m proud of how I handled it. Even with stacks of assignments and numerous required engagements, I kept it all in perspective.

Even with a French test to study for, I found time to talk with friends on AOL Instant Messenger for hours and scour my roommate’s blog for negative comments about me. Even with some 50 pages of English reading and note taking, I spent an evening alphabetizing my CD collection and wandering aimlessly through campus.

This past week was a journey of self-discovery. It was a trial of time management and prioritization. And thankfully, throughout the past seven days, even as assignments dared me to take them seriously, I stayed the course and stood by what I believed in.

Yes, I procrastinated, and I procrastinated well. And that tells me quite a lot about my character.

Any Joe College with a daily planner and common sense can manage his time and get things done in a careful and unhurried fashion. It takes a special student, one with a firm knowledge of his priorities and a blatant disrespect for quality work to really procrastinate. And I have this past week to prove it: I am a special student.

When I see responsible people in the library with their noses in a book or in classes scribbling notes, I just have to laugh. They may have a GPA over 3.0, but they’ve never experienced the joy of a three-under-par score on the Orbitz.com mini golf pop-up advertisement. They may be able to pronounce Nietzsche, but they’ve never read 30 pages of him in 30 minutes while walking to class.

I’m a procrastinator and a damn good one.

How did it happen, you ask? How did I become so accomplished at such an admirable ability? The answer, as with any technical skill, is practice. Not just any newbie can put off writing an 800-word column until two hours before it goes to press by playing Spider Solitaire or browsing bestwigoutlet.com. It takes time, practice and iron-willed determination to reach those lofty heights.

Whether pursuing a career in middle management or no career at all, the ability to put off work until the last possible moment is highly valuable. Luckily, for the amateurs of the world, there are a few simple things one can do to become better at wasting time, hurrying important assignments and submitting barely-acceptable work.

First and foremost, be constantly vigilant when planning activities. Any college counselor will stress the importance of time management to success in the university setting, and it’s absolutely true. Questions like “Am I procrastinating enough?” and “Am I doing something calmly and carefully now that could be done in a manic and half-assed manner later?” should be raised constantly throughout the day, from the last time you hit the snooze bar in the afternoon to the final rerun of Seinfeld early in the morning.

Second, surround yourself with distractions. Obviously the computer and the television are the easiest distractions. But don’t be afraid to look a little further for your meaningless diversions. Newspaper crosswords and campus club activities give the illusion of intellectual endeavor while they’re actually brilliant wastes of time.

Some “intellectuals” or “go-getters” might scoff at these suggestions, and even call into question the integrity of procrastination. Some might say putting off duties until the last possible moment is counter-productive, and that doing so even defies our capitalist society. To these people, I ask: Have you ever tried it? Have you ever settled down to complete a math assignment due at midnight only to end up at Ebay.com searching for Michael Jackson memorabilia?

No? Well before you criticize, give it a try. I’m sure you’ll find that the empty hours spent bidding on rarely worn “Beat It” t-shirts will outweigh the productivity, good grades, post-collegiate success and unencumbered free time that come with responsible time management.

At least I hope so.