Skipping Lectures - Does It Really Matter?
I started off in uni really motivated and went to all of the lectures in the first half of the year but as the year started to go on I began to skip one a week and now that I'm half way through the second year I tend to just go to about 1 out of 5 a week. I just feel like everytime I get into a lecture I switch off and theres no point in me being there because I'd learn more by being at home looking at the lecture slides online and reading from a book.
Do you think that it really makes much difference if I choose to complete my course in this way? I can feel myself starting to get really bitter about the course because I dislike it so much and I'm just looking forward to getting it over and done with. Does anyone else skip as many lectures and still get good grades on the course?
Do you think that it really makes much difference if I choose to complete my course in this way? I can feel myself starting to get really bitter about the course because I dislike it so much and I'm just looking forward to getting it over and done with. Does anyone else skip as many lectures and still get good grades on the course?
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I skipped my morning lectures today...I try not to, but occasionally when I'm too tired I just can't be arsed to go. They put up all the slides on the web anyway and as long as you catch up and teach yourself what was covered, and make sure you understand it I can't see any problem with missing some every now and then.
If you don't like the lectures that much then maybe you're doing the wrong course. The idea is that you do a degree in something that you enjoy.
As long as attendance isn't monitored, you'll be OK. It's better to go to them of course because lecturers go into more depth than the slides.
As long as attendance isn't monitored, you'll be OK. It's better to go to them of course because lecturers go into more depth than the slides.
Student2806
If you don't like the lectures that much then maybe you're doing the wrong course. The idea is that you do a degree in something that you enjoy.
As long as attendance isn't monitored, you'll be OK. It's better to go to them of course because lecturers go into more depth than the slides.
As long as attendance isn't monitored, you'll be OK. It's better to go to them of course because lecturers go into more depth than the slides.
Not really. I like my course a lot. I don't enjoy lectures. Why? Because they're a highly ineffective and uninvolved way of learning, sitting in a room for several hours and hearing someone read slides off a projected powerpoint presentation in a monotone.
When I go home and cover the information they went through, I am far more interested in what I have to learn, mostly because it's being given to me in an interesting and dynamic way (making notes and so on) as opposed to listening to someone drone on and on.
A friend of mine skipped the whole of year two and three except the practicals. Mind you he lived in the library, and passed all exams with flying colours. I suppose it depends on the course, and how much feedback you need. His lecturers tried to make him come to lectures, but when you're top of that year in all exams and pretty good on practicals, I don't think they were that bothered. I actually met his lecturers funnily enough, struck me as quite hippyish, typical post grad students but older. 
Kevin J
It depends on the lecture itself, lecturer and your understanding of the module tbh.
Does the lecturer simply read out whats on the slide? If so, then theres no point really.
Does the lecturer simply read out whats on the slide? If so, then theres no point really.
sometimes the way a lecturer speaks can help understand concepts from my experience, but you can do the same from a book, once you get good at it
I'm doing psychology. I used to have such enthusiasm for the subject but now I just find that the topics we're studying are so uninteresting and boring.
It depends on the course, what do u study?
I study economics & havnt been to lectures in so long, im really bad with going to them, they are always in the morning and i am not a morning person! i have probably only been to a handful for the whole year actually
woops!
Just make sure u do read up on the lecture slides... i didnt really catch up what i was missing and had a lot to revise for the christmas exam!!
I study economics & havnt been to lectures in so long, im really bad with going to them, they are always in the morning and i am not a morning person! i have probably only been to a handful for the whole year actually
woops!Just make sure u do read up on the lecture slides... i didnt really catch up what i was missing and had a lot to revise for the christmas exam!!
does your lecturer not say 'extra' bits in the lectures that arent on the powerpoints to make the lectures worth attending?!
a girl i know, didnt go to any of her lectures last year... ended up failing the year - whether it was just bad modules choices for her or whatever, i dont know, but that speaks volumes to me!
a girl i know, didnt go to any of her lectures last year... ended up failing the year - whether it was just bad modules choices for her or whatever, i dont know, but that speaks volumes to me!
Aquamarine.
I'm doing psychology. I used to have such enthusiasm for the subject but now I just find that the topics we're studying are so uninteresting and boring.
Hm, that indicates a deeper problem than just not enjoying the lectures. Why have you gone off the subject? Do you feel you're behind or it's going over your head?
Meh I don't miss lectures . . . .im forking out £3k a year, I want my money's worth.
Also how can anyone skip lectures and still understand the topic that is lectured? . . .Some people are just lucky and can do that, but I can not.
Also how can anyone skip lectures and still understand the topic that is lectured? . . .Some people are just lucky and can do that, but I can not.
Depends on the subject. For example, one of our modules is assessed with a 3000 word essay out of a chosen 7 topics which they'll release today, the catch being that each lecture was just a 'flavour' lecture to give you some background info for one of the topics.
That said, I don't think having a one hour lecture on water resources is going to help me make a great 3000-word water resources essay, so it's pointless as hell.
Anyway, in the sciences and arts it does seem to be a common thing to skip more lectures than usual, either because:
a) the content is complex and covered very rapidly, making it hard to follow and ultimately absorb any material (more common for scientists)
b) the content is irrelevant to you or simply does not or will not improve your perspective on the topic (more common for arts students).
I feel sorry for the people who have monotonous, powerpoint-loving lecturers, though, because lectures are a fantastic way to learn the material sometimes - lecturers can explain concepts or ideas very coherently, and tend to emphasise points that are relevant to the module (and ultimately your grade). I do have one lecturer who is sort of like that, but she does sound interested in her subject (sedimentology) and makes very clear and organised lecture notes.
That said, I don't think having a one hour lecture on water resources is going to help me make a great 3000-word water resources essay, so it's pointless as hell.
Anyway, in the sciences and arts it does seem to be a common thing to skip more lectures than usual, either because:
a) the content is complex and covered very rapidly, making it hard to follow and ultimately absorb any material (more common for scientists)
b) the content is irrelevant to you or simply does not or will not improve your perspective on the topic (more common for arts students).
I feel sorry for the people who have monotonous, powerpoint-loving lecturers, though, because lectures are a fantastic way to learn the material sometimes - lecturers can explain concepts or ideas very coherently, and tend to emphasise points that are relevant to the module (and ultimately your grade). I do have one lecturer who is sort of like that, but she does sound interested in her subject (sedimentology) and makes very clear and organised lecture notes.
It depends on how the course is run. All my notes are eventually put on the web.
However, I couldn't miss that many even if I wanted to. Attendance is taken in every single lecture/practical. Even a half hour demostration.
The only reason I've missed lectures this semester is because of clinic appointments.
However, I couldn't miss that many even if I wanted to. Attendance is taken in every single lecture/practical. Even a half hour demostration.
The only reason I've missed lectures this semester is because of clinic appointments.
Democracy
Not really. I like my course a lot. I don't enjoy lectures. Why? Because they're a highly ineffective and uninvolved way of learning, sitting in a room for several hours and hearing someone read slides off a projected powerpoint presentation in a monotone.
When I go home and cover the information they went through, I am far more interested in what I have to learn, mostly because it's being given to me in an interesting and dynamic way (making notes and so on) as opposed to listening to someone drone on and on.
When I go home and cover the information they went through, I am far more interested in what I have to learn, mostly because it's being given to me in an interesting and dynamic way (making notes and so on) as opposed to listening to someone drone on and on.
It's very different for me. My lecturers are very engaging (a couple of them are actually humourous) and go into so much more depth than what is up on the slides. One of them is world-renowned in her field and she just puts up images and talks about them - textbooks can't replicate that as far as I'm concerned, and I generally find that the lectures I miss are the ones I find most hard to understand later.
I know it's different for everyone, but lectures are an essential part of my course.
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