Writing papers is absolutely one of the hardest and one of the most important things you have to accomplish in college. Writing per se is hard because it requires work, understanding and critical thinking. It requires in-depth research, clear language and the most crucial factor - discipline.
Academic papers often weigh heavily in grades and sometimes are required to get into universities. Writing ability is critical to your success in school and to your future career. As discipline play a major role in writing academic pieces, it only boils down to one point - start early and budget your time.
You've probably heard this a million times, but it can be quite easy to let time slip out when you must juggle all your assignments, work and party time. As there is reading and research involved in paper writing, then the sooner you can start the process, the better.
Starting early will help you deal with unanticipated problems like difficulty in getting the required research materials or being sick with the flu just before the paper is due. Discipline through starting early helps not only in letting the ideas steep into your brain but more importantly to brilliantly accomplish the paper.