Don't take study skills for granted - most people need to learn them, just like any other subject. It's worth finding out which of your fellow class-members have accommodation near yours, so that you can help each other with work in the evenings. That way, you won't feel that you are the only person sweating over an examples sheet. We design degree programmes on the assumption that you attend classes and undertake coursework conscientiously, but it is not appropriate in a university that we should be checking up on your attendance every minute of every day. However, an attendance record is normally kept in laboratory classes , especially since absences can cause difficulties for lab-partners.
Personal tutorials are also key fixtures.
If you are missing lectures, you should satisfy yourself that you have a foolproof alternative method of learning the material. Examples classes may be of the 'surgery' type, where you attend only if you need help, and obviously there is no need to go if you are up to date with your problem sheets. So, provided that you avoid oversleeping, you should be able to arrive punctually. In return, of course, we expect staff to finish classes on time as well. As part of our support for students, we try to identify study difficulties as early as possible, and to offer help.