Going To Class Is More Harmful Than Helpful

[Chevy Chase Fan]

---

Members don't see this ad.

for me at least. I do almost all of my learning just by reading and practicing on my own. I feel like going to lectures just eats up this valuable time. If I have specific questions, I'll go to the next class and ask. If I don't, I'll stay home.

This makes my life so much easier. I've noticed a big drop in my stress levels. Whenever I spend a lot of time around the kids in my class, I always feel more on edge, more certain that they know more than I do, more convinced that I can't possibly get higher than a C on the exam. When I avoid class, for the most part, I'm so much more at ease and basically just walk in there relaxed and knock the thing out.

Obviously everyone's different though. Just curious if there are many people like me, b/c most of the time people assume that the guy that's skipping class all the time is probably failing, when that's really not true.

 

[Polymer Based]

for me at least. I do almost all of my learning just by reading and practicing on my own. I feel like going to lectures just eats up this valuable time. If I have specific questions, I'll go to the next class and ask. If I don't, I'll stay home.

This makes my life so much easier. I've noticed a big drop in my stress levels. Whenever I spend a lot of time around the kids in my class, I always feel more on edge, more certain that they know more than I do, more convinced that I can't possibly get higher than a C on the exam. When I avoid class, for the most part, I'm so much more at ease and basically just walk in there relaxed and knock the thing out.

Obviously everyone's different though. Just curious if there are many people like me, b/c most of the time people assume that the guy that's skipping class all the time is probably failing, when that's really not true.

I agree b/c I also learn best from reading book, looking at PP notes, and doing practice problems on my own. However, sometimes you get professors that test based on their lecture. So obviously you wouldn't miss lecture for those classes. Moreover, I know (well I knew) what you mean about students being an element of intimidation. However, that should fade away b/c you can't avoid them forever. Eventually these people will be your colleagues.

EDIT: I would like to add one thing. I don't blame you for wanting to avoid your classmates. There's a good chance many of them are pre-meds and pre-meds are just annoying. My pet peeve is, "What did you get on exam 1?"

 

[plzNOCarribbean]

I agree. I am not a class-goer, and I definitely benefit more from reading on my own; However, there are certain classes where I have arrived at the test and a question appeared where I remembered the answer simply because I went to lecture. I had a "OH, i remember the day he talked about that" moment". Nonetheless, these are rare for me and ultimately, I am much more productive staying at home and reading and coming to the test and knocking the thing out as you put it.

 

[surftheiop]

True to an extent, but as far as grades go I think going to class is really important so you can figure out what the professor cares enough about to ask on tests

 

[morning]

Recorded lectures ftw!

I LOVE not going to class. Saves so much time, so much stress. And some instructors simply do not know how to lecture to begin with, so attending their class is borderline useless.

 

[Polymer Based]

recorded lectures ftw!

I love not going to class. Saves so much time, so much stress. and some instructors simply do not know how to lecture to begin with, so attending their class is borderline useless.

+1

 

[Polymer Based]

True to an extent, but as far as grades go I think going to class is really important so you can figure out what the professor cares enough about to ask on tests

As idealistic as the following statement may sound, I personally try to learn everything from the textbooks. Perhaps not the most effective method of studying, but certainly progressive for my overall understanding of Science. Interestingly enough, I'm 99% certain that I will be one of those med students that do not go to class. To me, it simply makes more logical sense to study on my own.

 

[cliffdiver]

I agree with everyone else on here, I would much rather miss class to read from the textbook.
But for my Anatomy class, the professor makes the tests 100% based on his lectures; many of the questions can't even be found in the book. I found this out the hard way on the first test. F'ing private schools....😡

 

[portlandpixie]

I don't know if I consider going to class as "harmful" per say but I definitely agree that I learn more reading out of the textbook than from lectures. I personally go to every class because I feel bad wasting tuition money but that's just me. It also reinforces what I learn from the book. There are advantages to going to class through because I often see example problems from lectures that end up in the exam so I guess it's not all a waste of time...

 

[PremedGunner]

yeah, i'm just not going to go to linear algebra. see how i do on the test.

 

[BJJ]

I guess I'm one of the rare few who attend nearly all lectures. Hell I'm paying for it I'll be using all the resources I'm given. I think just the hints teachers give for what to focus on during lecture make it worthwhile for me so I'm not hardcore memorizing different tubules when there is only going to be a few basic questions on it. Also if a professor realizes you are never in class its hard to make a good connection with them as opposed to seeing you nearly every class. Also I have one teacher who doesn't post a single thing online everything is in class.

 

[Playa]

for me at least. I do almost all of my learning just by reading and practicing on my own. I feel like going to lectures just eats up this valuable time. If I have specific questions, I'll go to the next class and ask. If I don't, I'll stay home.

This makes my life so much easier. I've noticed a big drop in my stress levels. Whenever I spend a lot of time around the kids in my class, I always feel more on edge, more certain that they know more than I do, more convinced that I can't possibly get higher than a C on the exam. When I avoid class, for the most part, I'm so much more at ease and basically just walk in there relaxed and knock the thing out.

Obviously everyone's different though. Just curious if there are many people like me, b/c most of the time people assume that the guy that's skipping class all the time is probably failing, when that's really not true.

Depends on the class, o-chem and physics i found actually going to be a lot more helpful. In terms of electives, I skipped those surely wasn't failing though, just doing other stuff in the meantime lol.