It’s finally happening. The event you have been waiting for years to occur. It is a concert, fan meet and greet, book signing, sport event– whatever your poison, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity you just can’t miss.

But wait…

It’s on a school day.

This is a problem that has popped up occasionally in my life. There aren’t many events that are actually worth the effort to attend, but when things fall into place, school is often the deciding factor on how possible it is for me to experience my dreams.

Sometimes it works out perfectly! For example, I once had the chance to watch the Brazilian national soccer team play a friendly match against Ecuador. This game was to take place a few weeks after the 2014 World Cup, so I was ecstatic to go. Luckily, I was able to leave half a day of high school early, travel to the game and return the next day to attend the second half of my school day. It was an adventure that I will remember forever.

But this is not always the case and I’ve found myself watching events occur as I pine for them miles away, completing my homework.

I am someone who always attends class, through illness, lack of sleep or forgetting the homework. I believe I owe it to my professors and myself to attend class, and that it is only a disadvantage to me if I skip. Except, however, when a really good opportunity comes up.

In exactly one week Casey and I plan on going to Chicago to see a group called BTS in concert. This tour has only 15 shows in North America, with three of those in Canada. Tickets sold out in minutes and were resold at triple the price. This is not an easy concert to attend.

In addition, BTS is from South Korea so there is never a guarantee they will come back to perform in the United States. This groups has been something we bonded over not only with each other, but our sisters and other friends as well. We’ve never been more excited for a concert.

The only problem is that it’s on a Wednesday.

For weeks I have been worried about how to tell my professors, if I should lie about why I am missing, how I will make up my work and if I should even go. After all, a concert is not an easily accepted excuse to miss class and work is not always allowed to be made up. As I fret and overthink this situation, I also think about how cool of an experience this will be.

I wish I could explain easily to my professors that while this may not be a “University accepted” excuse, fulfilling dreams like this are just as valid reasons to skip class. I hope that some professors understand where I am coming from, and recognize the life that happens outside of the classroom is sometimes more important than what happens inside the classroom.

I also hope students realize not only the value of class, but also the value of skips. Don’t use them on pointless excuses like a hangover. Use them wisely on things that matter.

By the time this comes out, I imagine I will have talked to my professors about my attendance and in a perfect world it will all work out. I am hopeful that my professors will see the value in these once in a lifetime chances, and that I can continue to prove how seriously I take their classes.