Disbelief as well as nausea may engulf many restaurant patrons who learn the chef at their favorite restaurant refuses to wash his hands. Parents might experience similar shock and disappointment if they learned their students often wait to finish assignments, thus sacrificing higher grades.

A study by the American Society for Microbiology found that only 58% of males and 75% percent of females wash their hands after a visit to the restroom. Similarly, a poll taken by all campus high school students showed that many struggle with procrastination in the completion of their homework.

Similar to the health benefits that result from hand washing, students recognize the positives of completing their schoolwork on time far outweigh the negatives. At the time, however, procrastination appears more convenient.

?It is easy to put off papers until the last minute,? Daniel Hopper, ?10, said, ?but I always end up regretting it.?

Despite the hygiene benefits that accompany hand washing and the potential of higher grades as a result of complete homework, many still refuse to ameliorate their seemingly detrimental habits.

“At the beginning of the year I was committed to my projects,” Zach Camden, ’11, said. “I slowly started to focus on other things and leaving my homework until the last minute. I know I shouldn’t procrastinate, but it’s hard to stop once I’ve started.”

Teachers possess the ability to detect an obvious difference between those who begin assignments early and those who wait until the last possible minute to finish their homework.

?The students who don?t procrastinate generally turn in assignments that are organized and edited, opposed to students who did it the night before,? Natalie Douty, English II teacher, said. ?The assignment is full of mistakes and run-on or incomplete sentences.?

Although many habitually choose against organization and hygiene, some reap the benefits that seem to result from developing responsibility in the early stages of life.

?Normally I spread out my homework and projects so it doesn?t overwhelm me in the last day or two,? Riley Endicott, ?10, said. ?I found that homework is easier when I don?t procrastinate.?

A cure for procrastination is not as hard as normally assumed. According to ehow.com, an easy way to break this habit is to make a to-do list to spread out your workload.

Habits appear in many different forms and often prove difficult to overcome. However, determination, will power and an accountability program are thought to defeat these unwanted habits, providing the possibility of an over-all healthier lifestyle.