I know, shocking right? One week into the new term at uni and I’ve already skipped a lecture. I’ll tell you something else, something that will make you recoil in horror: I’m going to do it again.

Before you all start reporting me to the RVC I’ll give you some context. This lecture was the fourth consecutive hour of teaching we were going to have. Half way through the third lecture my eyes started wondering around the room and I found myself trying to estimate how many chairs fit into the lecture theatre. Then I got hungry. Really hungry. So I was sat in this lecture paying absolutely no attention and trying to punch myself in the stomach really quietly so it didn’t start doing its best impression of a randy lady fox (google it). So I left. I mean, I waited until the end of the third lecture because I have manners but I left all the same.

Now another important detail in this story (before I start empowering students everywhere to just say fuck it and leave) is that our lectures are recorded. So the only real internal struggle I was facing was how important it was to me to be seen by people in my year to have been in that final lecture. Naturally, I am grossly overestimating the degree to which my cohort give a shit about my education (and I’m fairly certain that, if asked, about three would actually know who I am) but it was still, for whatever reason, something I found myself dwelling on.

I think that, especially for someone with my interestingly wired brain, realising that everyone learns differently and trying your best not to be a judgemental prick about the whole thing is extremely important. The worst thing that I consistently do to myself is to tell myself that everyone else is better than be because they can tolerate things I simply don’t want to. I knew then in the lecture that that the situation wasn’t working for me so I found another way that did. Simple as that.

For any of you still worried about whether I watched the lecture online or not, I did. And, while your concern is touching I suggest getting a hobby or something because life is more exciting than whether or not my notes are up to date.

Don’t forget you can follow me on instagram and twitter (exciting right?!) or contact me via the site here. Please talk to me I need constant validation.