I woke up the other day with a quarter size lump on the left base of my skull. it's tender when i press on it. what could it be? should i see dr?

Sounds like: An inflamed lymph node, but mass in the neck could be anything. Yes, you should show it to a doctor, so he could make proper determination as to its cause and treatment.

Lump side of head: If it hurts and is red, it maybe a skin infection. Does it have pus in it? If so then squeeze it an get it out. It could also be a cyst or a lymph node. If it does not go away, then get it checked in a week or so.