Hello dear reader, Thank you for this question! This is an interesting question because it tackles the hard question of “why go to school”? I believe it is nice that you care about your friend getting an education. It’s really important you go to class, because to put it a bit bluntly, the education is free! When you go off to college (if you go that route) you have to pay a ton of money just to go a single class, so it’s best to make use of the free classes now. If you don’t want to go to college, or you have other plans, then it’s still good to have the baseline education, as you can build onto it later. In addition, many workplaces require a high school diploma. Being educated in general is also very helpful in everyday life. School can also be a good place to socialize with friends and get support.

But what if they know that? What if the reason isn’t that they just don’t want to, but that something is up with the class? It’s hard to want to go to a class when you feel unwelcomed, or if they feel unsafe in that class. Why go to that class if you know you’re just going to feel bad? Every person has different interactions with the same people, and you have to remember that when you’re talking to others. If your friend isn’t feeling welcomed or safe, you should try to talk to them directly and make sure that they are feeling well. If it’s to a point where your friend is actually afraid to be in that class, then it’s time to talk to counselors about the situation, perhaps switching classes if needed. Here at Benson, we have a strong sense of making sure students are happy and comfortable in their classes. If you think the reason your friend is skipping is because they are not welcomed, you should help support them in getting them into a better environment, even if that is just a shoulder to rant to, or helping them connect to an adult to talk about it to.