Connect with your Professors!
Written by OAPA Peer Advisor, Jenika Brown
Stressed over your grade, or that oh-so important GPA? You know who’s great at alleviating that stress…your professors. It’s easy to forget that the person teaching in front of the class has been through some variation of what you’re going through right now as a college student. Your professors make the best study partners and are some of the best relationships you could leave college with. Get to know your professor and allow them to get to know you. All you have to do is connect. Want to know how? Keep reading!
How to Connect:
Set-up a Meeting
- Utilize your Professor’s office hours! The sole purpose of these hours are to help you outside of class. Whether it be an assignment you’re confused about or a simple check-in on your progress in the class, you’d be surprised at the kind of insight you can gain from a one-on-one session.
- Our busy schedules as students don’t always allow for an in-person meeting…that’s why we have technology! Corresponding through email, is better than no correspondence at all. Anything you would ask in an in-person meeting can be translated to email.
Don’t wait until your struggling in a course to set up a meeting. Connect early in the semester!
When emailing, try to stay within the frame of typical business hours or their office hours if possible—you may get a faster reply this way.
After You Connect:
Follow up with your professor after your sessions. Whether it be assurance that you are implementing their advice correctly—or to simply say thank you—following up with your professor shows you care and makes the relationship one of reciprocity.
Network:
Attend departmental events or other campus events your professors promote in class to establish a relationship that surpasses the classroom, as well as discover new interests.
Posted: October 10, 2019, 9:40 PM
