You could say “I have this weird pain on only one side of my head, and I feel dizzy when I see bright light” or “My head hurts all over, and I have this weird ringing in my ears. ”
There’s no need to be especially graphic. Don’t say, “I’m going to hurl all over my books if I don’t leave now. ” Say, “I was sick in the bathroom just now, and I’m afraid that I’ll be sick again soon. ”
Be sure to stick to a consistent story. If you told your friends you think you have a virus, don’t change to food poison when you see the nurse.
You might say you have pain in your muscles and joints. You could claim that you’ve been very tired and lethargic all day. You might also say you have a headache.
Be sure that the note includes the date begins with the phrase “Please excuse (your name). . . ” says exactly when you need to leave explains specifically where you are going (to the orthodontist, the optometrist, etc. ) says you’re not coming back that day has your parent or guardian’s signature at the bottom is free of spelling and grammatical errors (so that it’s clear an adult wrote it) is a tiny bit crumpled as if it’s been in your backpack Note that this method doesn’t really work unless you can drive yourself home. If you have to have someone come pick you up, the jig will be up! Depending on your school, the consequences for turning in a forged note may be pretty severe. Some schools will give you detention, suspend you, or in extreme cases, even expel you. Think hard about whether it’s worth the risk! Depending on why you need to leave school early, it’s possible that your parents or guardians might write the note for you, so consider asking them before you go to the trouble of faking the note.
Act as casual as possible. People will suspect that you’re lying if you make a big fuss out of leaving.
Anyone helping you with the plan can also make your story more believable by arriving at school to pick you up at the scheduled time. If possible, tell them what they have to gain by helping you. If it’s your older sister, and you’re skipping school to help her pick out a wedding dress, remind her how excited she’ll be to have you there. If it’s your dad, and you’re skipping school because of a bad breakup, remind him that he never liked your girlfriend anyway, and tell him how much happier and healthier you’ll feel after a “personal day. ”
Don’t confuse assertiveness with aggression. Be clear about what you need, but don’t be hostile or angry. When talking to your teacher, you might want to say something like, “I’m feeling really bad and think I may need to leave. Can I please go to the nurse to talk to her about that?” When you see the nurse, remember to make your case with specific symptoms. For example, “I’m feeling nauseous and have vomited once already. I’ve also had a headache and chills all day. Could I please go home?”
If you’re talking to your teacher, try saying something like, “I feel awful about missing my group presentation this afternoon. As soon as I’m feeling better and back in school, could we please talk about the best way to make that up?” If you’re trying to convince the nurse to let you go home, try saying, “I know what my teacher’s make up test policy is, so I’m planning to come in and take it during study hall on Friday, assuming I’m feeling better by then. ”
Give a number you know no one will answer. If your parents are at work, you could give them your home number. Be prepared to delete the message before they can hear it. Have an accomplice ready to answer the phone at whatever number you give them. An older sibling or friend who isn’t in school are good options.
