With midterms around the corner, USC students gathered at the USC Anti-Procrastination Cafe on Monday to find support and strategies for the upcoming stressful season.
Ashley Uyeshiro Simon, a professor of clinical occupational therapy and director of the minor in occupational science program, was inspired to create the cafe from an idea she saw on social media. The cafe is open to all students.
“I actually saw it on TikTok. There’s a real Japanese cafe that’s an anti-procrastination cafe…and I was like, dang. That’s such a good idea. It’s gentle social accountability, and that’s what I need when I work. I need social accountability in order to get my work done.”
As soon as you walk into the cafe in the student union, students must fill out a form listing the tasks they want to finish during the session, with an option to have their phone put away to minimize any distractions. Event organizers check in with students every 30 minutes to make sure they are being productive.
“Usually, procrastination stems from a place of either fear of what you are being asked to do or about to do, or feelings of low self-efficacy. So feeling like you don’t have the skill to be able to do what you need to do,” said Simon.
Martina Ibrichimova, a current master’s student who minored in occupational science during her undergrad, understands both the scientific and student perspectives behind procrastination.
“I think one of the biggest things, and I do think I really was super emphasized in OT was that even in the most overwhelming of times, it’s so important to just slow down and find joy in the small things. And I think that helps really ground you. I’m really big on journaling, for example, or meditation, or even just taking a quick walk around campus or in nature,” said Ibrichimova.