I think we’ve all woken up on a cold, rainy morning and contemplated how many remaining absences we have in a class before our grade is affected. I know just how easy it is to make excuses and skip class. Being a college student isn’t pretty sometimes. There are early mornings, late nights and hours upon hours spent outside of class devoted to advancing our academic careers. Going to class can feeling like a chore sometimes, but this simple action can do more for you than you may already know.

If you’ve skipped class before, don’t feel bad. I’m writing this opinion not to make people feel remorse for their actions, but to shed light on some of the positive and negative consequences of skipping class that you might not have taken the time to think about. Of course skipping class can create more work in the long run. Missing an important lecture and having to teach yourself the material can add hours to study time when an exam is coming up.

Not only does missing a class have the potential to reflect poorly on your grades, but it can impact your relationship with your professor as well. If you frequently don’t show up to lectures, especially if you’re in a small class, your professor will notice and this could impact their opinion of you. Taking the time to attend class is an easy step you can take to formulate a relationship with your professor that can benefit you in the future. Have you ever started filling out an application for an internship, scholarship or executive position for one of your extracurricular activities at the last minute and panicked when you realized that one of the required submission materials is a letter of recommendation?

Failing to show up to class is also a waste of money. According to an article published by USA Today, the cost of skipping each class is $30 at a public university and $104 at a private university. For ONE class! With many of us paying for college with loans, it seems unreasonable to not attend a lecture that we are paying good money for.

Attending class (and sitting where your teacher can see you if you’re feeling like an overachiever) puts you one step closer toward forming a relationship with your professors. Even better? Attend their office hours once or twice per semester at the minimum. If you can’t think of what you would talk about, simply go and introduce yourself and talk about your academic interests, ask for help on an upcoming assignment, or ask to see a past test that has been graded. Building relationships with professors can lead to research opportunities, better academic performance, and interesting experiences.

Next time your alarm goes off and you dread getting up for class, remember that by attending you can reap tangible rewards.