Winter is officially over and students are shedding layers of clothing as well as some of their courses.

In an article today by Josh Comer, students admit to trading their classes for a few hours of sun.

Naturally, professors have become frustrated with this warm weather phenomenon, and even mandatory attendance policies don’t seem to be working.

Despite the incentive to attend class, students seem to favor the idea that strict attendance polices are unfair. This debate has been on the table since the inception of the mandatory attendance policy, but the fact is, students are accountable for their actions, no one else.

College can be reasonably seen as any students’ first job. We are expected to show up everyday, be attentive, and apply what we have learned. And we’re treated according to our performance, in this case, reflecting directly into our grades.

While deciding to stay out in the sun, students should also consider that not showing up to classes is disrespectful to the professor, who has given up a good deal of time to make lesson plans, grade papers and hold office hours.

These men and women are our future co-workers, our colleagues, and our mentors. We should be interrogating them on how to succeed, not treating them like we treated our teachers in high school.

The cruel truth is high school is over. We have to hold ourselves accountable. There are no tardy bells in college.

It’s also financially harmful to the student who, in case we have forgotten, is paying a great deal of money to attend these classes. Not showing up is just a waste of money.

More importantly, this is the last week of classes. A summer full of sun is only two weeks away so now is no time to be skimping on the class work.

Finals are coming up and those students who put in the time this last week will be the ones who are most pleasantly surprised by their exam grades.

Even tightening up on attendance policies for the last week of class might be an innovative way for professors to lure more students away from the sun and back into the classroom.

However, it’s imperative for students to remember they’re the ones responsible for showing up to class, and by association, are responsible for their final grade, despite what the attendance policy may be.

In reality, very few employers will be sympathetic to spring fever and excuse you from a few hours of work so you can play cornhole or go sunbathing.