Should I skip class to watch the innaugeration?

Im sure professors will understand that this is a big event and wont have a full class

Maybe you can tape it and watch it later? Happy to hear that a Canadian is so excited about this!

I don’t think very many professors are going to be expecting high attendance at that time.

Yeah, I doubt the Professor is expecting many to show.

If your prof is worth his salt, he’ll be streaming this historic event for the class. If not, drop the course and hold out for another prof- one with brains and balls. Gender notwithstanding.

e-mail the professors tonight, and ask.

I am in a similar situation. I just plan on watching it on youtube/cnn later on that night. I know for a fact that my professors will not waste a whole precious class lecture to show us the inauguration. Sadly.

As for what you should do, really depends on the class IMO. If it’s an easy, BS class, I would skip. If it’s an important class, I would just watch it later online.

Do not skip the first class without letting the professor know. Perhaps he would like to cancel class if he knows enough people won’t be there.

I would email your prof and tell him that the inauguration is really important to you and could you please go to watch it? I’m sure he’d understand. Almost all profs are liberal so he’d be excited too.

I have Calc class at exactly 10 am on the 20th. I’m skipping the inauguration. For me, class is more important, but hey, we all have different priorities.

The 10:00 class is a 400 class, which is kinda important, and I absolutely need to do well to graduate. It’s at 10, and if it ends early, I’ll be fine. The other one is easier, and the teacher is nice, but the class starts at 11:30.

I don’t wanna email a teacher because it makes it seem like I don’t take school seriously. I mean, I’m taking an event that happens in another country (I’m Canadian) more seriously than school.

Should I stay for a certain amount of time, and then leave and say I have a dentist’s appointment?

@Mtl_zack

Emailing the prof does not make you look like a slacker. Profs appreciate it when you send them emails alerting them of your absence, and brownie points if you are honest. Seriously, be honest. I know most will probably not even tell him that they won’t be there. Emailing him and coming clean will make you look better, I am sure.

once in a life time opportunity. it really does suck to be missing the first day of classes, but this is ‘kind of a big deal.’
(not only does this only happen once every 4 yrs, with obama this is HISTORY. do you want to tell your kids about watching the first black president of the united states get swore in, or tell them that you missed it cuz it was your first day of class…?)

if it makes you feel any better, im skipping!

on the whole emailing thing, you could email and ask that they send you the syllabus so you can look it over an be prepared for the next class period.

E-mail him. Definitely. Ask what he plans on doing in class and, like alive said, ask for a copy of the syllabus (either by e-mail or offer to drop by and pick it up). Explain that you’d really like to watch the inauguration. If you can get the syllabus ahead of time, look it over and ask any questions you have via e-mail or drop by the office. Your professor should understand you aren’t goofing off and be okay with it. If they seem to have a real problem with your skipping class, you should probably go.

Generally, it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission, but with professors I tend to ask permission since some of them are touchy.

As a teacher, I would be pretty offended if a student wanted to skip the first class in a 400 level class to watch something that is going to be broadcast and rebroadcast all day. I can understand wanting to watch it “live”, but I wouldn’t see it as a valid reason for missing the first class. (Sorry).

Your teacher may feel differently, obviously.

i’m not going to school. i was intending on taping it, but my VCR isn’t exactly in good condition, and i just don’t think it’s the same. i agree with the above comments about emailing the professor; i think it shows your appreciation of major current events/what will soon be a huge moment in history, and that you’re respectful enough to worry about your class work.