Despite having spring break over two weeks ago, I just got back from a mini-vacation across the country in San Diego, California. The flight left on Thursday morning and didn’t come back until Monday morning, so I was missing a few more classes than I wanted to. College is stressful enough when you go to class regularly, so missing class was terrifying for me. While I did enjoy myself during the trip, I’m now back to studying and catching up with what I’ve missed. It doesn’t have to be a mad rush to get everything done as soon as you get back and you shouldn’t let worrying about school take away from enjoying the moment, so here’s a few tips on how to keep it together when traveling during the semester.
Talk to your professors. Professors can be understanding if you talk to them in advance and let them know the situation. For me, my mom forgot what days my spring break was and planned the trip for the wrong days. When I explained this to my professors some of them laughed but they were all understanding and accommodating. Keeping them in the loop allowed for both of us to plan how I was going to stay on track in the course.
Talk to friends. After you talk to your professors, talk to your friends. If some professors allow you to, ask them to record the lectures and gather any information you may have missed. Have them keep you updated on any announcements or changes so that you’re not blindsided when you get back.
Do your part. You can’t expect everything to be done for you, so you need to keep up with what you can while away and make sure to buckle down when you get back. Don’t forget that classes move on whether you’re in class or not, so managing your work and time efficiently is key to not getting left behind.
Traveling is a great experience but so is getting an education. It’s important to keep things in check and to make sure your priorities are where they need to be. Hopefully these tips help when dealing with planned absences.