Ever wonder what your professors would do if you actually had a valid excuse for missing tons of class?
Before I had shoulder surgery, I didn’t just wonder, I worried. The whole “excused” absence thing can be vague, and, in my case, surgery and hospitalization soon morphed into extreme pain and strict bed rest. The 4 days of recovery time I had planned weren’t enough, and the rising number of absences were a weight on my mind.
Maybe this is common knowledge, but keeping continuous contact with your profs and providing updates on your status is the best way to ensure a smooth transition back to school, without any scary surprises. Email is a wonderful thing.
In my case, the professors and TA’s were understanding, and their notes of encouragement actually made me more inclined to get out of bed and back to class.
If the situation is severe, and you doubt you’ll be able to pass a class after an injury or other emergency, be sure to tell your academic adviser ASAP, so all the technical stuff can get figured out without a penalty on that coveted record.