1) Show up on time, every time. It should go without saying, but you need to get to class before your professor—i.e., five minutes early—and be prepared to take notes the moment he enters. From day one, you should think of attending classes as serious work. You cannot consistently waltz in several minutes late and expect to pass.
1.1) Dropping your books on your desk before class starts, then heading out to grab a cup of coffee, doesn’t mean you were in attendance at the start of class. Your books are not you. Think of how an employer would react if you dropped off your briefcase at the start of the day, then left for a half hour