I don’t know a single student who hasn’t skipped class at least once.

In high school ditching was relatively easy with little to no lasting consequences. In college it’s quite a bit easier, but the stakes are higher. Students can still manage it though, and if done right, it can provide a needed mental break without breaking a grade.

Students are always told the worst consequences for skipping class to discourage them from doing so. Ditching can lead to a lot of trouble, but it can also be a benefit in small doses.

As a freshman I was terrified to skip class because college was an entirely different world. I was afraid I would be late or miss a class on accident because college is less structured than high school. Then one day I read an email wrong and missed a class. I felt so guilty, but the next time I showed up, it was like nothing happened.

A lot of people often get overworked and stressed out when deadlines start piling up. This can lead to problems with productivity and sleeping. Without sleep our bodies quickly take a turn for the worse. Soon all those stressed and overworked people are sick and are missing out on two or three days.

If said people realized the path they were on and took a day off they possibly could have prevented this. When students take a day off, not only are they limiting themselves to one day, they are also able to pick the most opportune day to miss. A day without any big deadlines would be best.

I missed four days of school because I refused to acknowledge I was sick and I didn’t go to the doctor until the last minute. By then everything was so much worse. With a doctor’s note, I was able to make up most of the work, but I didn’t have a chance to turn in two papers and my grade took a hit.

Skipping one or two days a semester is fine. People get sick about that much, so as long as there are no excessive sick days on top of that, it’s all good. But if the absences start to add up, grades start dropping.

Classes that don’t take attendance are my downfall. I don’t feel compelled to show up if I don’t want to. For this reason I had to take an introductory athletics course twice.

Every student is in charge of their own schedule, and I can’t tell anyone to go to class who doesn’t want to.

It’s worth remembering that students pay for these classes. Skipping class is paying the school for one day of nothing. Each student needs to find a balance of grades and health that works for them.

If someone can manage an A grade and miss the maximum number of days allowed in the syllabus, good for them. If they are OK with a D grade and lots of Fridays off, that’s passing.