Getting ready for college feels like a whirlwind. From awkwardly emailing your random roommate, to picking out all of the dorm room essentials, this period of time feels like a hectic blur. The last thing on your mind is the fact that you actually have to go to class.
With all of the fantastic new freedoms that college provides, skipping class seems like a fairly legitimate option. However, this choice may come back to bite you come midterms and finals.
SLOTH
The most tempting deadly sin of all. Sleep is a beautiful thing, but sleeping through your 8 a.m. every morning is not a good way to start off your college career. Have a hard time getting out of bed? Maybe turning electronics off after midnight or rewarding yourself with a Chick-fil-a breakfast after class will do the trick. If your professor takes attendance, use your skips wisely. If they don’t, pretend like they do. You never know when you (and your entire hall) will get a cold.
LUST
While you’re probably excited to meet new people at college, don’t let yourself get distracted by a potential cutie in class. Is he looking over here? How does my hair look? Did I put on perfume today? If you’re not careful, the thoughts can race through your mind at light speed during the entire class period. Make an effort to turn off your stream of consciousness and zero in on the lecture. Even though this person’s presence might encourage you to go to class, the professor will not ask you questions about the color of your crush’s eyes on the exam.
GLUTTONY
The last minute of the second season of The Office ends and Netflix sends you to the “Next Episode in 15 seconds” page. You have eight minutes until class starts. We’ve all been there, but what do you do? No one is there to tell you to get up and go to class. There is no bell that signals that class is about to start. The choice is up to you. While it might be tempting to lay in your bed all day and watch TV, it might tank your GPA in the long run.
GREED
Sometimes, there are days when you can’t pay attention if your laptop is open. Who cares about the history of American industrialization when there are new arrivals at ZARA to browse? Online shopping during class can be oh so tempting, but resist the urge and pay attention anyways. Your GPA and bank account will thank you. If you’re just going to sit in class and scroll away, you might as well just have skipped it.
ENVY
On a similar note, scrolling through your friend’s weekend Facebook posts during class can easily make you lose focus. Where did she get that shirt? Are they dating? Maybe I should message 14 people and ask. No. You should not because you are in class trying to learn. Focus.
WRATH
It’s easy to go into the first round of midterms thinking you’ve done everything you can to perform well on a test. However, this is not always the case. Professors will sometimes throw curve balls or grade the free response section with extreme scrutiny. However, as much as you think a professor is out to get you; don’t let your anger keep you from giving up or not going to the class. Respectfully talk to your professors. If you make an effort, they will notice.
PRIDE
If you go to Wake Forest, you probably got pretty good grades in high school while managing several activities on your plate. From sports, school, relationships and other extracurriculars, you probably had it all under control. College is probably the same situation, right? Wrong. Wake Forest is a different animal. It is easy to say, “I took Calculus in high school, I don’t need to go to class.” Wrong. You never know what nugget of information your particular professor sees as the most important and might put on the test. When the first midterm rolls around, you will wish your pride didn’t get the best of you. Go to class.
