College: do I really have to go to class?

The long answer is: YES.
The short answer is: YES.

Your parents' college days and the attendance policy:


If your parents tell you they didn't have to go to class, they lived in the good old days. Nowadays, most classes take attendance (they have their ways...) and they have a policy: miss more than three classes, and you lose credit for the whole semester. And here's the thing; in high school, they say that, but rarely will someone lose credit for absences (you enjoy that, guys). In college, you ABSOLUTELY WILL LOSE THE CREDIT. And guess what? You already paid for the class, so...

...yeah. They don't have to do anything for you. You are not entitled to credit for the class just for paying for it. I know people who have gotten As on every test all semester, and then receive zero credit for the class because they had four absences. And professors don't have anyone who's going to tell them to be nice to you. So be nice to them. And go to class. Even if you're dying from the flu. Even if you slept for one hour. Even if you hate the class.

Which brings me to my next point: IF YOU ARE SO SICK THAT YOU ARE SURE YOU ARE DYING, but you have a paper to turn in, a test, anything at all, GO TO THE CLASS. Let them tell you that you're too sick to be there and they want you to go home. But go to class. Turn the assignment in. No amount of notes from the Student Health Center will excuse you from missing a college class, because THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR MISSING A COLLEGE CLASS, GUYS. Unless you have military leave or jury duty, you show up. Suck it up, buttercup.