With heavy, sleepy eyes and only 20 minutes to make it to my 8 a.m. class, I ask myself a serious question: “Should I even go?” We’ve all been there. To go to class or to not go to class. That is the age-old question that most, if not all, students face during college.
The spring semester here at ULM drags by. Students get a taste of freedom during winter break and that carries over into the new semester. They lose motivation and stop attending class regularly.
Personally, I have skipped multiple classes during my five years at ULM. What can I say, I’m human? I had a number of reasons for not attending class, from car trouble to “car troubles,” if you know what I mean. However, I always found myself struggling to catch up. The last month of the semester, you can find me scrambling, like an egg, trying to do whatever I can to get that A or B.
I haven’t failed yet, but I have caused myself unnecessary stress, which is even more detrimental. If you want a positive, successful college experience, try going to class.
Skipping class, especially towards the end of a semester, can negatively impact students, no matter how well-adjusted they are. Participation grades are often incorporated into classes, which forces students not to skip. Plus, a good participation grade can save your GPA at the end of the semester.
Unless you have killer allergies, spring is a time for enjoyment. It’s hard to pass up a beautiful day, and this often becomes an excuse to skip class. The kayaks at the Wesley look mighty fun on days when the sun is shining bright. The pull of fresh Louisiana air, Instagram photos of blooming trees and the desire to cruise on a long board is far too strong for most students to pass up. Skipping class becomes easier in the spring, because we can smell summer in the air.
Louisiana weather is random as heck, but a clear blue sky can make all the difference. Springtime brings with it a feeling of restlessness. Students who were cooped up inside all winter come out of hibernation to smell the roses. Sure, this semester we have been plagued with a pollen epidemic, but you understand what I’m saying. Spring pulls people off the couch and out the door. Once students get a taste of that natural vitamin D, there’s no going back.
A survey done by the MIT used undergraduate experience to find out why students don’t attend class. According to the survey, “The most important factor in deciding whether to attend lectures is the lectures’ quality and clarity, followed by conflicting deadlines for other classes the professor’s use of relevant examples and the professor’s ability to engage and entertain the students.”
Even Ivy-league universities like Harvard have had problems with attendance in the past. A 2015 article by Forbes found that Harvard had an attendance rate of only 60 percent, which is surprising when you think about the increase in quality. It doesn’t matter what school you attend, skipping class is a universal experience understood by most. However, skipping class can lead to bad habits if not managed properly.
Some cite teaching quality as their reason for not attending class. Whether it be a pointless lecture or just a bad professor, a lot of students feel that they don’t necessarily need to attend class to pass it.
However, no matter how we look at it, hundreds to thousands of our dollars are being wasted when we skip class. The professor is still being paid, even if you can’t be bothered to attend class.
According to a study done by The College Board and reported on by USA Today, “For students taking 15-credit hours a semester, each class session at an in-state, public university costs about $30.” When the cost is broken down like that, I think more students understand the financial impact skipping class can have on them.
At the end of the day, not attending class regularly has a negative impact on your schooling, point blank.
No amount of rest and relaxation will get you the grade you want. However, hard work, patience and acceptance of things you can’t always change will. No university is perfect and there are a lot of legitimate reasons to miss class. Just don’t make a habit of it.