I'll Do it Tomorrow

Erin McGovern

He laid in bed, hands behind his head. His eyes scoped the smooth, white ceilings, trying to memorize the marks. 

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He’d been doing this for 10 minutes, knowing that he had to finish his loads of homework before he went out. 

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He got up. He completed his first assignment and then immediately checked his phone. 

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“We’re going to Brick tonight. Be ready by 10,” he read. 

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He’d been wanting to hang out with this new group of friends, and now they’d finally asked him to join them. 

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At 8:45 p.m., he still had to finish his physics homework and write one more paper. 

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Fifteen minutes later, he was stumped on the last two questions of his homework. He was antsy; he only had an hour to get to his friend’s dorm, and it was a 15 minute walk to Hepburn Hall. 

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Ten minutes later, he figured out both of the questions and was onto his two-page paper that was due the next morning. It was worth 30 points, and he’d gotten a C on his last quiz. 

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At 9:45 p.m., he only had two paragraphs left.

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“I’ll just wake up early to finish it,” he thought, pulling his shoes on to head to Hepburn. 

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As soon as his friend opened the door to his room, he smelled a mix of vapes and alcohol. 

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He was greeted by five students, who slurred their words and held up bottles to celebrate his arrival. He tried to hide his discomfort as they walked out of the dorm. 

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They entered Brick Street Bar, hundreds of sweaty bodies dancing to the popular music amid endless make-out sessions. 

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“You have to take this shot with me, man,” his friend said. He obliged. 

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Three hours and six shots later, he stumbled as he left his safe ride back to his dorm room. 

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He slept until noon. 

He received a D for late credit and an “incomplete” on his paper.

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