The guilt of skipping class. Ahh, yes. Among many students, missing a day of class is probably one of the worst things you could think of doing. It’s a nightmare for some people. How your parents may think, how it will effect your grade and “overall gpa,” what your teachers and professors will say, and all of the other nonsense your anxious student mind can fester.
Skipping class is not encouraged, but people do it. I mean, we’re paying all of this money for education right? Might as well go to class. However, I think desperate times call for desperate measures—and you shouldn’t feel desperate! I’m not advocating for missing and skipping all of your classes all the time, but there comes a day when things get to be a little overwhelming, or a lot. Students need to know how to take care of themselves and skipping class is one of them.
According to the American Psychological Association, “Teens report that their stress level during the school year far exceeds what they believe to be healthy,” and this shouldn’t be taken lightly because mental health is far more important than overworking yourself during finals week. Taking a day to reboot and catch up on healthy physical and mental care is not really considered, but people need to realize that they can actually be more productive when they pace themselves and become a little more selfish in terms of their wellbeing.
You’re Sleep Deprived
When you find yourself slowing dozing off in Classical Mythology or Calculus, your eyes constantly hurt or burn, energy levels are decreasing, or every part of your body can’t find a will to keep moving—it’s time to sleep.
You need to take a day to catch up on rest and that means also going to bed early the night before. Especially to help your immune system prevent you from getting sick. So, hit that snooze button.
The American Psychological Association states that “When adults do not get enough sleep, 21 percent report feeling more stressed. On average, teens report sleeping far less than the recommended amount — 7.4 hours on school nights and 8.1 hours on non-school nights, compared with the 8.5 to 9.25 hours recommended by the National Sleep Foundation”.
You’re Not Making Time for Needs
I definitely have days when I’m going to classes back and forth in the city and have no time to just sit down and eat. Eating is SO important. Obviously, we have to eat, drink, bathe, go to the bathroom, and do all other human needs.
However, I see all of these over-achieving college students rushing here and there, not stopping for a moment to fulfill any of their needs. Make time for yourself to chill out, get some fresh air, have a snack, even if it means showing up to class late sometimes.
You Feel Pressured and Overwhelmed
I personally work best under pressure. When there’s a nearing due date or deadline, I’m on a full buzz to get shit done. While this works in a lot of cases, it can be so easy to crash and burn.
Some people don’t realize the negative effects of pressure until they’re gotten to a point where they’ve all gone into chaos and overdrive. When you think you’re getting to a point where all of your responsibilities are coming down on you, take a deep breath, make a day and dedicate it to relaxing. Skip your classes and calm down.
You Can’t Function Socially
It’s been a hot minute since the last time you’ve gone out with friends, called your mom, texted your BFF, or literally talked to anyone in real life. If you find yourself chained to your computer screen for ten hours, it’s time to get up and communicate with the real world. Yeah that’s right—physical human beings.
Checking in with people and having those meeting times, get togethers, coffee dates, or late night facetime calls are crucial to maintaining your sanity. Within the last month or so, I’ve literally set times to chat with some of my best friends to just catch up and decompress. If you need a day to just call your mom and tell her how your day was, do it.
There are many other reasons you can have to skip class. I think a lot of the stigma behind missing class is that we’ll be considered as lazy, incapable, or irresponsible. Now, this may be true for continual “skippers and missers”, but I think that if you choose to miss a class every now and then, you shouldn’t be penalized or judged at all.
I have times when I honestly feel like I already know what I should be working on, especially when it nears the end of the quarter and assignments are given, so missing class and getting a day to do what I have to do for myself is the best option. Obviously, be responsible when it comes to missing class. Consider the effects of missing class, how it will impact you positively or negatively, and take care of yourself.