Which do you think is worse: being late or being absent?

[Cccgala]

I could still remember that I asked this question to my classmates a year ago and they all answered that being late is worse than being absent. 😐

I don't understand them because I believe the opposite; I think being absent is worse.

Being late is generally more frowned upon compared to being absent. A late student can get all the please-tell-me-why-you're-late reprimands from a teacher. Meanwhile, an absent student can save himself from that humiliation and a teacher can simply ask that student about his absence on the day he attends school again.

A tardy student still gets to attend other classes while being absent is a student's failure to physically show up in a class.

What do you guys think?

Late

Absent

[Victoriella]

I agree with all you've stated

It does seem to be more frowned upon being late than absent. For e. g my doctors surgery seems to be less irritated if a patient doesn't turn up than if they were late.

I'd rather a person be late than absent. Being late shows you at least made the effort to turn up , and shows you are eager to be there. Being absent makes you appear as though you are disinterested

Being late may make you seem like a bad time keeper , but being absent makes you appear unreliable and indifferent.

I can tolerate a bad time keeper but not an unreliable person.

[Paris13]

"Better late than Never" is my saying, @Cccgala.
However, being as Punctual that I am, I don't care for others to be Tardy. However, if I had a Choice in the Muckery Matter... I choose "Late," Mate.
Good luck. xx

[EmpatheticLady]

Being late was always worse for me. Having all eyes on me walking into a room is such an awkward feeling. I'd rather just not show up and get the notes from whatever I missed the next day, hah.

[Anonymous]

Being LATE is worse in school because you attract a lot of attention... walking in late shows that you don't care about the teacher, classmates or the subject at all... If attendance is done at the beginning, you are screwed anyway...

If you decide to skip, well maybe the teacher won't even notice... my teachers were lazy and never even did attendance... so they would just mark everyone there.. but if you walked in late they would notice...

You also now have extra time to study, or do what ever.. come up with an excuse, get a note from your parents for the next day... you are set :)

[sovetskii13]

I prefer being absent because I don't want the whole class staring at me as I enter the room in the middle of a lecture. I can always ask the professor or a classmate what I missed when I was absent. Easier on me.

[Yelinthu1998]

I think being late is better than being absent in educational courses but not in business and other engagements. Whatever you attend the class lately, you will get at least the teacher's explanation and thought partially that help you in easily memorising lessons. If you are absent, you will not get the whole lessons that the teacher taught.

[Alex_l1sa]

When it comes to school, I think that being late is more frowned upon because we associate absenteeism with sickness or a REAL reason, especially if you call in early saying that you will be out. Lateness is just seen as lazy or having a lack of time management skills to wake yourself up.

[popsickle]

I answered the poll before reading what you said. Maybe for a younger student, being late is better, but I think in adulthood... both aren't good, but being late will be judged more harshly.

[zombiebabe]

i think being late is worse because you are expected to arrive at a particular time whereas being absent... no one will be waiting for you to come

[93stepsawayfromhome]

Being late is worse for the one who is late. It's generally a bit annoying to have to enter a class late, even if you have a good reason for it (and I know, because I commute to school by train).

[SnatchFinderGeneral]

Worse for WHOM? I think that's the important thing. But in any case, absent is worse.

[Iron_Man]

Being absent is. Because its like you could care less and like you quit

[ElissaDido]

Better late than never

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

Absent, at least being late means you got there.

[NerdInDenial]

At least you are present when late

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Being early is better than late

[SatyricLord]

Neither. They're both good.

[KingHippoRules]

Absent