My principal likes to tell us, "The world is run by those who show up, on time."

I come in late a lot to school.  Sometimes purposely, sometimes just as an effect of waiting until one in the morning to start sleeping.  In college, we all imagine it's going to be different and we'll change our ways.

I think to some degree that's true.  Paying thousands of dollars a year for the crap you used to get for free could definitely change your mindset.  Especially for some of my friends, who worked overly and extremely hard to win scholarship money--but those are the kids who will arrive early and leave late because they want to chat up the professor and ask as many questions as possible. I mean, they do that now.  They've done it for the past four years.  But it's not like change is such a hurtle, so unheard of.  I've changed my opinions, religious views, and work ethics so many times and I'm only seventeen.  Perspective changes with both time and just what's happening.

But here's the thing: what student doesn't love to miss class? So many kids cut now, so many will in college, but so many of those kids will probably be part of the college-dropout-after-the-first-year statistic.  It may be cliche to say, but I don't want to be another statistic.  I seriously doubt I will; getting the money to go to college is such a hurtle in itself.  It'd be a complete waste of my time and energy if I was going to skip class or not do well.

What my real problem is, is my own personal apathy toward lateness and ditching.  I worry some of my friends won't graduate because they have that same apathy and that we're all watching our attendance rate to make sure it doesn't go below 90%.  I know I'll graduate; I'm a total expert at getting by at this point, even though I think this year's grades will prove that's not the only thing I want.

I don't know what I'm going to do in a real college class yet.  I want to graduate high school first.