Rolling over with a moan and a grunt to peek at the glowing clock in your dark room. 3:57 a.m. The unfortunately familiar nauseated feeling in your stomach brings you to crawl out of bed to move the trash can closer as you down a dose of Pepto-Bismol and hope for the best.

Morning comes with the rude awakening of your alarm clock and your mother knocking on the door to see if you want cereal or oatmeal today but all you can do is shrug. “I’m not hungry” you say. But she’s not buying it and by the time the first bell rings, the school has been called and you’ve been tucked back into bed with a tray of saltines and Sprite.

All day long you try to focus on the binge watching of your newest favorite show but even that won’t distract you from your worries. You have a feeling today’s the day all the information on the final will be passed out and there’s probably a lab you can’t make up as well as at least four pop quizzes. There’s not a doubt in your mind that this is the single most important school day of the whole year.

With all the worrying you do, not much rest or healing occurs and so your prison guard of a mother confines you to your bed for the next three days. The only thoughts that cross your mind are the fevered delusions that frequent the sick and concerns for the mountain of work you are sure will be awaiting you upon your return.

Sick days are probably the lowest on the scale of reasons to miss school, at least in my experienced eye. They are, best to worst, as follows:

1. Snow days: Although rare and frequently viewed as a joke by our fellow countrymen up north, we all know that snow days are, by far, the ultimate day off. Homework done, pajamas on, hot cocoa and Netflix queued up: bliss.
2. Pre-planned vacation days: The anticipation leading up to the vacation is almost as sweet as the actual day itself, whether it be gluttoning upon a Thanksgiving feast or remembering the troops down by the pool, these days are a strong contender for first.
3. Field trips: These are great times to visit someplace during the school day that counts as educational with people who share your interests because they are in the same class as you. The downside of field tripping is the rest of the school doesn’t stop just because you don’t go-so good luck catching up with your homework!
4. College visit: The exciting prospect of your future so close you can taste it mixed with the sudden reality of it and the terror that tends to strike makes college visits a bittersweet fourth place.
5. Sick days: Doctors visits and worries of homework stacks waiting mixed with not enough sleep and fevers makes for a distressing break from the hustle and bustle of the school day.

As far as missing school goes, sick days are, in my opinion, the absolute worst.