Utilize the Internet

Unless there is an attendance policy, online documents (usually found on Blackboard, Google Groups or other website specified in the syllabus) are your ticket to sleeping in. A lot of times, professors will simply read off of their prepared slide shows, elaborating a little bit. Since these documents are the main things students study for exams, professors make them chock full of relevant exam information. Pair these slide shows with your book reading (yes, you should probably do this if you’re going to skip class) and you’ll already know a majority of what’s going to be on the exam.

Staying Awake

So you’ve decided to actually go to class and take notes. Unfortunately, it’s 9 am and you were out until 3 last night. You’re tired. You fall asleep and your trek to campus from your comfortable bed was a waste of time anyway. You need to stay awake! In the morning, eat a light breakfast on your way to class. This could be a granola bar or a banana but if you pair it with a ridiculous amount of caffeine (no, not the little Red Bulls, think 20 ounces), it WILL help you stay awake, even if your stomach hurts. Additionally, don’t dress in something warm and soft. Put on tight jeans or an itchy shirt. It’ll help you resist the urge to snuggle into your hoodie and slip into dreamland.

Schedule Smart

Back to back classes twice a week may seem like a phenomenal idea because then you have five days off. However, try to schedule your classes so that you have at least two one-hour breaks between classes and don’t go home between them! Find a place on campus like the student center or a lounge in your lecture building that has tables. Between classes, sit down, drink that energy drink and take notes over the chapter you just learned about in your Accounting class. It’s forced study time. What else are you going to do for an hour?