First things first: RELAX! Never panic or you WILL spill coffee on your beige trousers and the stain will never come off (not that I would know, that’s never happened to me).
If you’ve woken up late, save yourself some time and skip the beauty routine – you look great as it is. This gives you a few spare minutes to make it to class feeling more composed. Hey, being a bed-head beats running in late and tripping on the stairs, right?
Most professors at UTM aren’t really bothered when students walk in late as long as they don’t waltz in chattering away. When you walk in to a class, take a deep breath and scan the back of the room for a seat – it may not be your ideal spot but it’s better than disrupting an entire lecture hall. Once you know where to sit, step in quietly and set your things down carefully (don’t chuck them at the desk in frustration because no one is going to empathize with you twenty minutes into lecture).
If you know you have consecutive classes, plan your day ahead of time. Lectures always end ten minutes before the hour and start ten minutes after – use this gap. Your coffee and bagel can wait a little longer, I promise.
If you’re late to a class that you have in common with some friends, ask them to save you a seat. Find out where they’re sitting before you actually get there so you can blend in easily without causing a ruckus.
Basically, being late to class isn’t the end of the world. The important thing is that you get there and make use of what’s left. Remember, keep calm and do yourself a favor: don’t skip class.
