I lie in my bed and tug the covers further up over my head. My phone continues to buzz on my bedside table and I contemplate the ultimate question: “Is the attendance incentive really worth losing some extra hours of sleep?” Free days dance through my mind but extra minutes of sleep fight against them.

The idea of perfect attendance appeals to some because it’s another record to hold; however, most high school students, myself included, would rather have extra time to sleep or a day off than an extra title to hold. Since students would prefer that time off, it can cause quite the issue for administration. Absences add up and grades fall down. In hopes to decrease these spontaneous absences, incentives have been put in place, but are they worth it?

There’s not much that can beat sleeping in, going out with friends, or really doing anything besides school on a school day. If there was an option to be excused completely from finals, that might just outweigh the fun of an extra day off. The thought of not having to struggle through a final could be motivation enough to strive for perfect attendance. Unfortunately, that was not the deal presented. Taking finals early just doesn’t have the same appeal as getting extra time off. While, in theory, you are getting extra time off, which would be the time normally spent taking finals, a few extra days of summer doesn’t have the same effect as a break in the middle of the school year. The administration also mentioned prizes although it has yet to be revealed what these prizes could be. While the potential for a material reward can be exciting, the unknown factor makes it less appealing. These rewards may appeal to some but they’re nothing to make me spring out of bed in the morning.