Seven Reasons You Should Stop Skipping Class

Sure, everyone has excuses to skip class – you need more sleep, your friends are doing something more exciting, you can just get the lecture online or you have a horrible professor, so you probably won’t learn anything anyway.

Whatever the excuse is, does it really outweigh skipping class?

The truth of the matter is, attending class is important – and here’s why.

1. Practice makes perfect.

In the real world, attendance is not an option, so why should your college classes differ? Honoring your obligations on a regular basis is a way of life, and your 9 a.m. class on Friday did not just spring into your schedule this weekend. Don’t make up excuses, because very soon, you’ll find that the real world doesn’t tolerate no-shows.

2. Time is money.

We’ve all heard the unfortunate reality of the amount of cash we’re dishing out per class, per hour or even per minute during college. Is that money really worth another hour or two drooling on your pillow?  Let’s say you’re in a three-credit class for a 16-week semester. Did you know that missing just one day adds up to about $36? So, what’s the damage when you miss one hour every other week? Well, you might as well just light a match to your bank account.

3.  It takes more time to catch up.

When you miss class, you miss significant notes and explanations of course material. You think it’s okay because you can just read the book before the exam. But when it’s time to study, you spend more time catching up with your textbook and Google than you would have if you had just shown up for class.

4. Professors remember.

You might not think you need the lecture to understand the material for the exam, but professors will remember you weren’t there. Not going to class shows your professor you don’t care about what they have to say in class. So keep in mind, when you’re applying for jobs or grad school and need professor references, they’ll remember who showed up every day. And more importantly, who didn’t.

5. It’s about who you know.

At some point along the way, you realize college is a merry-go-round full of young adults who want a professional career, just like you. Maximize your connections here and now, as many hired employees can thank a former colleague or classmate for a recommendation. When you don’t go to class, you could miss out on opportunities to meet someone who could help land you a job someday.

6. Be there, or don’t send me class emails.

Do you really want to be that person? We all get the mass emails at the end of the semester from the students who have missed class – and surely one lovely soul is willing to go out of their way to help out a stranger, right? Who is going to help you out when you don’t have a database with access to mass amounts of people with your same responsibilities?

7. Opportunity is knocking.

Even at your lecture hall door! Take advantage of all the networking and learning opportunities going on in your class. Whether you’re willing to admit it or not, even those University Program classes taught you a thing or two. Many people aren’t as lucky to be able to choose from hundreds of classes to increase their knowledge bank.