Missing school is bittersweet. I love to be coded for an extracurricular or simply to play hooky, however, making up all that schoolwork? Not cool. Especially if I’m coming back to school from being sick. So if anyone’s in the same boat as I am, here are some tips and tricks from students on how to make-up that schoolwork like a pro:

Be proactive

If possible, the best plan of action is to talk to teachers before missing school and seeing what will be missed.

“[Talking to my teachers beforehand] lowers stress levels,” junior Amanda Lee said. “When you come back from an event sometimes it’s overwhelming when they pile a bunch of work and information on you. It’s better to just know about it in advance instead of last-minute stressing.”

Make a plan

In order to make sure all the make-up work gets done, it helps to make a list.

“When I miss school, I like to write down class-by-class the assignments I missed on a sheet of paper in my planner, that way I don’t lose track of anything and I can easily pull out my planner and see it all in one spot,” senior Hannah Dowding said. “It’s also easy to get overwhelmed while you’re trying to catch up because, at the same time, you’re trying to learn the current material as well.”

Do the work

After creating that list, get it done. But don’t just go through the motions, make sure there is an understanding of that material.

“The best way to catch up from missing school is not only making sure you complete the work but also that you understand it so that it doesn’t affect the work you do in the future,” senior Olivia Rutherfurd said. “So try to go to some tutoring, meet with your teacher or ask some friends in that class if they can review the material with you.”