I would always hate it when a professor decided to make the class a dialog between students, basically forcing everyone to participate and share their opinions. I felt like I was paying to hear the professor who actually has experience and some semblance of mastery over a given topic, not some jackass for whom being "well read" refers to the number of wikipedia articles (s)he skimmed. Also it was frustrating when a professor wasn't assertive and allowed certain students to railroad, taking over the class more or less with inane personal anecdotes and off topic questions. It usually resulted in there not being enough time to cover the actual material. By the same token, professors who lack dynamic range and basically recycle the same lecture over and over with an inability to deviate from narrowly defined parameters are just as bad.

I try to keep things flexible and open-ended, addressing questions and trying to make things as clear as possible, while at the same time not letting a particular student take up too much of the entire class time. That sort of thing is why we have appointments after class, not to mention an on-campus (student-run) tutorial service free of charge.

Regarding attendance, I've never implemented a strict "X number of absences = grade reduction" policy. Maybe that's because I was always having to miss class for medical reasons, and penalties for doing so seemed wholly unfair. Sure, most of the folks skipping class are just sitting on their asses playing videogames. But if you can demonstrate mastery over the material on exams and discussions, then it seems pointless to demand a physical presence at all times. I don't really see it as "not being fair" to the students who show up all the time like some of my colleagues. I mean, they're all paying for the class. We all have different learning styles and abilities. So long as someone isn't cheating I don't see a point in penalizing their not being in class.

@MF Re: Attendance: Yeah, I don't even function well during regular class hours and do most of my genuine learning at like 3AM in some secluded corner of campus with unplugged custom IEMs in my ears.  I don't learn anything from study groups or in-class activities.  I'm taking a class on Victorian Modernity that's completely discussion driven and it's complete ass.  On days where I haven't read the material before going in I leave knowing little more about the text.  On days where I have I wonder if people are bullshitting me when they say they have as well.  My poetry and Plato classes are about 50/50 between discussion and lecture and they're both pretty good because the professors are good (the Plato one also has an attendance policy similar to yours).

Anyways, what the hell your professors mean by vain? LOL

I brought up my professors telling me I'm better than most to demonstrate that I wasn't just saying that out my ass to be vain or arrogant or whatever.  Unprovoked, they've pretty much all told me I do really great work... but it's a shame I only did like half of it or turned all my shit in a month or two late.  It frustrates me to know end to see someone with sticky notes all up in a book I didn't even bother to buy spouting off complete shit about it and it happens all the time. 

And yeah, I have no mastery over my life whatsoever.  I have one class left before I can graduate and I plan on just working for awhile (which I've never had issues with) and trying to purge some of the crazy out of my system before attempting grad school, which I guess is like the real college now.

Does school present a [positive] challenge to you?

What was the last thing you did that made you feel satisfied/happy?

P.S. I can totally relate to what you are saying. I've spent most of my [25 years] life in a very similar state of affairs.

I've been there, done that, quit, started working and now I want to get back on track again...

Find something you like and become the best. Just make sure it has the right appeal to you regarding your intelligence and preferences.

I just have to seriously prepare myself for university, among others...

I just want to drink and watch Star Trek all day.

Not sure if you're joking, but if this is really all you are motivated to do then the problem isn't school.  Sounds like you need to do something to get some perspective and get motivated.  There's no point in being in school if you have no motivation or direction.  Maybe you need to either travel or work a shitty job.  The former would give you perspective and the latter probably a kick in the pants.  I think taking time off from school is generally a good thing as long as you don't just sit around smoking pot or something.