# Going to class on first day? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 23, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204 "2005-08-23T00:59:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/1 "2005-08-23T00:59:26Z")
So how many do it? I’ve found myself skipping pretty much every one since I was a freshman as they usually just involve going through the sylabus. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/2 "2005-08-23T01:10:37Z")
I’ve always found that they are quite valuable for the most part (not all of them, but most). There are usually a lot of stupid (read: ones Im too scared to ask myself) questions answered. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/3 "2005-08-23T01:24:49Z")
I _love_ the first day of class: nothing to turn in, and I’m not expected to know anything! 😃 It’s the most laid-back class of the semester, and we’re usually let out early. And, like **CynicalGabe** said, I find them valuable: I hate when it’s the 2nd or 3rd class and someone asks a question about the syllabus that was covered in detail on the 1st day. Plus, there’s usually homework assigned right away. Class starts a week from tomorrow . . . can’t wait! ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/4 "2005-08-23T01:32:02Z")
I took a linguistics course over the summer. The first class, the prof made the mistake of implying that human communication is more evolved than that of dolphins. Someone screamed, “HOW DO WE KNOW?!” A huge debate ensued; it lasted the whole, two-and-a-half hour class. The most vocal (and annoying) never came back. They were just there to check out the syllabus. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/5 "2005-08-23T01:34:58Z")
The first class is the \*\*most useful \*\* of them all. That’s when you get invaluable details like: - assigment submission requirements; - the lecturer’s approach to granting extensions; - course assessment; - whether attendance at various lectures and tutorials is compulsory; - format of the exam etc. It’s the people who don’t go to the first class who then subsequenly piss off all the other students by wasting time asking really stupid questions that have already been answered. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/6 "2005-08-23T01:35:45Z")
Oh, to reply to the OP: I love the first day of class. The second class is always amusing: you see how many in attendance at the first class were just browsing. Starting again on Sept. 6. Can’t wait. ---
**Author:** ![Kiminy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Kiminy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiminy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/7 "2005-08-23T01:44:49Z")
\ As a university instructor, I can tell you that it is MOST annoying when students do not attend class on the first day. Yes, we do talk about what the rest of the quarter will be like, but since that directly concerns any student in the class, and since questions about that material WILL come up, it’s not a useless exercise. (Please keep in mind that I did have to be a college _student_ for many years before I could become a college _instructor_, so I do speak for both sides here.) However, the prevalence of students skipping the first day of class (nay, the first WEEK of class) on the grounds that we won’t do anything informative has made me completely change my ways. So on Day One, I hand out the syllabus, point out that my name is not pronounced the way it is spelled, and I make sure that students can find my e-mail address and the course website, then I start covering material from the textbook, AND I assign homework. Day Two usually involves a quiz about the syllabus that they were expected to read on their own, and I take up the homework that was assigned the previous day. In essence, I give lots of homework and quizzes over that first week so that 1) the students who actually show up get the full ten weeks of instruction that they have paid for, and 2) students will eventually start getting the message that they shouldn’t skip the first day of class. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/8 "2005-08-23T01:55:01Z")
> [@BabaBooey](#): > > So how many do it? I’ve found myself skipping pretty much every one since I was a freshman as they usually just involve going through the sylabus. If you show up the first day, they teach you how to _spell_ **syllabus**. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/9 "2005-08-23T01:56:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > If you show up the first day, they teach you how to _spell_ **syllabus**. 😃 lmao ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/10 "2005-08-23T02:04:57Z")
> [@Kiminy](#): > > \ > As a university instructor, I can tell you that it is MOST annoying when students do not attend class on the first day. Yes, we do talk about what the rest of the quarter will be like, but since that directly concerns any student in the class, and since questions about that material WILL come up, it’s not a useless exercise. (Please keep in mind that I did have to be a college _student_ for many years before I could become a college _instructor_, so I do speak for both sides here.) > > However, the prevalence of students skipping the first day of class (nay, the first WEEK of class) on the grounds that we won’t do anything informative has made me completely change my ways. So on Day One, I hand out the syllabus, point out that my name is not pronounced the way it is spelled, and I make sure that students can find my e-mail address and the course website, then I start covering material from the textbook, AND I assign homework. Day Two usually involves a quiz about the syllabus that they were expected to read on their own, and I take up the homework that was assigned the previous day. In essence, I give lots of homework and quizzes over that first week so that 1) the students who actually show up get the full ten weeks of instruction that they have paid for, and 2) students will eventually start getting the message that they shouldn’t skip the first day of class. What of the students that weren’t signed up for the class from day 1? Besides the fact that teachers rarely teach on day 1, I also don’t show because I spend the first few days closely watching class availability so as to get consecutive classes on M/W/F or Tue/Ths. And, fortunately, I don’t much have to know my spellings in the engineering field. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/11 "2005-08-23T02:19:24Z")
> [@BabaBooey](#): > > And, fortunately, I don’t much have to know my spellings in the engineering field. :smack: OK, now that’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/12 "2005-08-23T02:23:57Z")
At our school, if you do not show on the first day your entire schedule gets dropped. Then, you can pick from whatever is left after all the classes you want get picked over. Needless to say, I go to class. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/13 "2005-08-23T02:39:00Z")
Another long time University prof checking in: I can’t believe anyone taking college at all seriously would skip the first day of class. It makes no sense. It is _very_ important to attend that particular day. I have seen a lot of students get into deep trouble over the years over missing that first day. And of course they always came crying to me to try to fix their problem. ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/14 "2005-08-23T02:44:35Z")
The first class is when the prof will go over something vitally important to your grade. This information will never be mentioned again. Well, not until thirty seconds before you should be turning it in, that is. I’ve rarely had a prof _not_ teach the first day. Of course, I’ve never had a class canceled or take-home final, either. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/15 "2005-08-23T03:15:35Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > > [@BabaBooey](#): > > > > And, fortunately, I don’t much have to know my spellings in the engineering field. :smack: > > OK, now that’s funny. And job security for technical writers. 😉 Thank you, **BabaBooey**! ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/16 "2005-08-23T06:45:07Z")
> [@Kiminy](#): > > However, the prevalence of students skipping the first day of class (nay, the first WEEK of class) on the grounds that we won’t do anything informative has made me completely change my ways. So on Day One, I hand out the syllabus, point out that my name is not pronounced the way it is spelled, and I make sure that students can find my e-mail address and the course website, then I start covering material from the textbook, AND I assign homework. Day Two usually involves a quiz about the syllabus that they were expected to read on their own, and I take up the homework that was assigned the previous day. In essence, I give lots of homework and quizzes over that first week so that 1) the students who actually show up get the full ten weeks of instruction that they have paid for, and 2) students will eventually start getting the message that they shouldn’t skip the first day of class. :shudder: ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/17 "2005-08-23T07:01:44Z")
Where I teach, there is usually a horde of students trying to get admitted to the class on the first meeting. If you don’t show and you don’t contact me about it with a good excuse, you’re dropped, and someone who wants to get in gets in. The first class is definitely not a throw-away meeting. The rules of the course are covered and the tone of the course is set. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/18 "2005-08-23T11:00:05Z")
I went the first day of class every year of undergrad (or the first time the class met) because of what was previously said. There was only one time where I missed that first day, and it was because I didn’t sign up for that class until the third day of school or so (so I missed the first lecture). Now, I cannot miss the first day of class in vet school. We go straight to the material after a brief introduction. ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/19 "2005-08-23T12:42:26Z")
Plus, who would want to miss hot college girls wearing revealing outfits because of the warm weather? In no time at all it will start getting colder and all the good bits will be covered again. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204/20 "2005-08-23T12:55:49Z")
Of course I attended the first class of every course. And, up until recently, I always made a point of purchasing my textbooks before the first day of class (when possible). I’ve only ever missed a handful of individual courses- due to illness or conflicting activity. While I’ve had a number of courses that started off with handing out the syllabus and exchanging introductions, often times that first day of class gives you a chance to get to know the professor, and various other things. **Cunctator** said it well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-class-on-first-day/318204.md?page=2)