Why I think you should never look at the time

Have you ever heard of something called time dilation?  It's the unofficial name of the experience that when under intense pressure or extreme circumstances, time literally slows down.  The reasons why are unknown, but there is one prominent theory:

A skinny, suburban mother can lift a two-ton car when her child is in danger.  A hiker can shatter his arm bone and cut it off if trapped under a boulder.  A child can hold his breath for upwards of ten minutes if he is trapped underwater.  Normally, these feats are impossible.  The human body, however, is a magical thing.  Adrenaline coursing through your veins can cause you to have literally superhuman strength.  The pain of shattering your own arm, which would cause normal people to lie in shock, is dulled under the survival instinct and - again - adrenaline.  The brain can lower your body temperature and require less air to survive underwater.  The leading theory why we cannot do these things all the time is simply that our muscles and brain would literally waste away from the intense amount of pressure put on them.

What does this have to do with time?  Think.  Many police officers have noted the sensation that during a firefight or hostage situation, ten seconds feels like half an hour.  Normally, it takes a second to draw a gun, and another to aim and fire correctly.  The noted officers have claimed that when in extreme danger, it is almost as if suspects with weapons take five or ten seconds to draw their guns.  Similarly, when sky-diving, our sensation of time seems out of whack and it takes longer to fall down to earth than it should.

The theory behind it is relatively simple as well: during intense or extreme circumstances, the human brain and body work together to turn you into the most efficient animal on the planet.  We can process scenes, think on them, and act ten times faster than normal.

What does this have to do with essay-writing?  Here's my answer: don't look at the time.  Don't think about dividing your time.  Just work.  Brainstorm and write.  Look up only before and after your essays.  Always think you're running out of time.  Write as if you're going to die if you can't.

You'll beat the clock - and maybe in record time.