“When Will You Graduate?”—A Qualitative Study on Academic Procrastination Among Italian University Students

Background: In contemporary societies, the pursuit of performance and the experience of urgency emerge as dominant forces shaping individual lives. In this context, delaying behaviors assume particular significance, especially for university students, who are immersed in environments that seem to prioritize speed and efficiency as the main routes to adulthood. The pressure to be flawless and fast, coupled with uncertainty about the future, calls for reflection on procrastination, its impact on psychological well-being, and the role of educational institutions. This study explored university students’ opinions and experiences regarding academic procrastination. Methods: Ten focus groups were conducted with 89 students enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program. All focus groups were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The corpus was analyzed using Thematic Analysis of Elementary Contexts and Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Results: The former, a cluster-based thematic procedure, identified seven clusters capturing both the organizational aspects of university life and the experience of being a student in contemporary society. The secondary thematic analysis further explored these dimensions, emphasizing themes such as social pressure and concerns about the future. Conclusions: Findings suggest that understanding the dynamics underlying procrastination can inform university policies attuned to young adults’ developmental needs and well-being.