Reasons Why You Should Go to Class in College

Some days it can be flat-out impossible to find the motivation to go to class. Its a lot easier to come up with reasons not to: You havent had enough sleep, you just need a break, you have other things to do, theres something more exciting going on, the professor is bad, the professor wont notice, you wont miss anything, or you just dont want to go. Even if all of these excuses are true, its important to take a step back and gain some perspective about why going to class in college really does matter. Motivate yourself to attend every lecture by exploring reasons to attend class. Using Money Wisely Suppose your tuition costs $5,700 this semester—the average for in-state public institutions nationally. If youre taking four courses, thats $1,425 per course. And if youre in class 14 weeks each semester, thats more than $100 a week per class. Lastly, if your course meets twice a week, youre paying more than $50 for each class. Youre paying that $50 whether or not you go, so you might as well get something out of it. (And if youre going to an out-of-state public school or a private school, youre probably paying far more than $50 per class.) Avoiding Regret Going to class is like  going to the gym: Youll feel guilty if you dont go but awesome if you do. Some days, its nearly impossible to make yourself hit the gym. But on the days when you do go, youre always glad you did. Going to class often works the same way. You might lack the motivation at first, but it nearly always pays off later. Make yourself feel proud all day for going to class instead of guilty for skipping it. Learning Something Life-Changing Your professor might mention an organization that sounds interesting. Later, youll look it up, decide you want to volunteer for it, and ultimately land  a job after graduation. You never know when inspiration will strike in college.  Set yourself up for it by going to class and keeping an open mind about what kinds of things you can learn about and fall in love with. Enjoying the Experience College is certainly not enjoyable all of the time. But you went to college because you wanted to, and there are many students who dont have the opportunity to do what youre doing. Remember its a privilege to be working toward a college degree, and not going to class is a waste of your good fortune. Learning What You Need to Know You never know when your professor is going to drop that critical sentence in the middle of the lecture, such as, This will be on the exam. And if youre home in bed instead of in a seat in class, youll never know how important todays lesson really was. Conversely, your professor may say something along the lines of, This is important for you to read and understand, but it wont be part of the upcoming midterm. Thatll come in handy later when youre deciding where to focus your efforts when studying. Maybe youre only taking the course to meet a graduation requirement, but you just might learn something interesting in class that day. Socializing With Peers Even if youre still wearing your pajama pants and barely make it to class on time, youll likely still have a minute or two to catch up with some friends. And even if you just commiserate about how youre still recovering from the weekend, the camaraderie can be nice. Reducing Study Time Even if your professor just goes over the reading, such a review will help solidify critical points in your mind. This means the hour you spent in class reviewing material is one less hour you have to spend studying later. Asking Questions   College is different than high school in many ways, including the fact that the material is more difficult. Consequently, asking questions is an important part of your education. And its much easier to ask questions of your professor or teaching assistant when youre in class than when youre home trying to catch up on what you missed. Talking With Your Professor or TA While it may not seem important now, its helpful for your professor to know you—and vice versa. Even if she doesnt interact with you often, you never know how your class attendance might benefit you later. For example, if you need help with a paper or are close to failing the class, having the professor know your face when you go talk to her can help you make your case. Its important for you to make yourself familiar to your TA, too. TAs can be great resources—theyre often more accessible than a professor, and if you have a good relationship with them, they could be your advocate with the professor.   Getting Exercise If you dont think your brain can get anything out of going to class, maybe your body can. If youre walking, biking, or using some other kind of body-powered transportation to get around campus, youll at least get some exercise from going to class today. Talking to That Certain Someone The purpose of any class is academic pursuit, and learning should be the priority. But it doesnt hurt if you happen to be taking a class with a person you want to get to know better. Even if you both are commiserating about what else youd rather be doing, neither of you would be talking with each other if you didnt show up for class today. Being Prepared for Upcoming Work Its hard to be prepared for upcoming assignments if you dont go to class on a regular basis. You might be able to wing it, but the amount of time you spend trying to undo the damage youve done by skipping class is likely much more than the amount of time you would have spent just going to class in the first place. Enjoying Yourself You went to college to expand your mind, get exposure to new information, learn how to think critically and live an examined life. And once you have graduated, you may never again get to spend so much time doing those things. So even on the days when you find it difficult to come up with a reason to go to class, persuade yourself to go by reminding yourself how much you enjoy learning. Earning a Degree It can be difficult to graduate if you have a low GPA, and this is more likely to happen if youre not going to class. Investing in a college education is only worthwhile if you actually earn a degree. If you have student loans, theyre going to be a lot harder to pay back if youre not benefitting from the higher earning potential that comes with a college degree.