Hello, everyone. I am on the verge of a mental breakdown. I am a straight A student majoring in political science. Aside from working hard to maintain straight A’s, I have other obligations to attend to. Because the end of the semester is quickly approaching (about 2 weeks after next week, Thanksgiving), I want to take an extra long weekend.
I always have Friday morning classes. I have never skipped a class. I want to skip on Friday. I would head home Thursday afternoon. I go home every weekend, but I need an extra long one. Plus, this Thursday night my family is going out to eat to celebrate my sister’s birthday. Is there anything wrong with me doing this? I genuinely need a day to devote to homework and studying, uninterrupted. I want a day where I can go hunting in the afternoon. Should I feel guilty about this?
Also, everyone, I am not skipping because I feel lazy. I genuinely work my butt off every single day of the week. I want to avoid a burnout.
If you can easily make up the material you miss, then it’s your decision to make. I wouldn’t frame it as a question of guilty or not guilty. Is it practical or not practical?
What about talking to the professor before you miss the class, get an overview of what will be covered/missed? Then you are taking responsibility for your choice rather than worrying about it unnecessarily as you are doing now.
Throughout your life there will be special occasions that you will choose to go to and take personal days off to do so.
It’s okay to take a personal day for yourself once and while if you work hard. We all need that sometimes. If you feel like you can make up the work, and you’re a good student otherwise, then take a day for yourself. Just don’t let it become a habit.
There were days in HS when my step-Ds needed a break, and I gave it to them. They were good students, hard workers, and could make up whatever they missed, but sometimes they just needed to take a break, and I wasn’t going to fault them for that. All my kids have that same offer on the table if they need it.
You say you come home every weekend? What if you went to class on Friday morning, then stayed at school to study the rest of the day, then go home and hunt on Saturday and relax and/or study on Sunday? Could your family wait till Sunday for the party to include you?
You’re an adult (most likely) - it is your choice. I like the suggestion above to re-frame your thought process from “not guilty/guilty” to “practical/impractical.”
I suggest emailing the professor to see what he or she will be covering in the class, and note you will miss it. Often professors allow one missed class for any reason.
As for hunting, is it out of season to go during your month long break in December and January?
@halcyonheather, you asked a similar question a year ago, about leaving class early or skipping it.
The problem I see is that you might have reasons again why you might want a long weekend or not go to class in the future. If this was in the middle of semester and a single occurence, maybe. But finals are coming up soon and you will have some breaks coming up real soon as well.
It’s your choice. Do whatever you want. You’re old enough to know if you need to be in class or not. For some classes, it doesn’t matter if you miss a class. For others, going to every class can be incredibly important. It’s really just up to you.
Professors aren’t always very helpful when students are skipping class for no reason, so you may have more luck asking another student about what was covered in that class or just using the syllabus.
If it doesn’t hurt your grade, go for it! My roommate is doing same thing except he’s skipping Monday classes so he can just stay home until Thanksgiving break is over. You’re an adult now, it’s ultimately your decision. Just don’t regret it.
Honestly everyone here is so uptight. Get the info you need before from classmates or the prof. and skip if there’s no repercussions. If it won’t bring your grade down and you get the info it’s almost like being there just don’t make a bit out of it. have fun
If it’s just a routine day with no tests or assignments due and not a critical review session or something, I really don’t see the harm in skipping one class day. Heck, the lecture notes are likely online.
Straight A student here. Attended three calculus lectures last semester, third highest grade in a class of 200.
I skip class if there’s more important work to be done or I could learn what the professor talks for 50 mins about in less than 50 mins by reading it independently. Don’t feel guilty at all.
Look at your syllabus. What is happening that day? Test? Quiz? homework due? Lab? anything out of the ordinary?
Does your syllabus have any attendance or participation grades/requirements? If so, how are you doing with that? Do you have a friend in the class that will share notes?