Knowing your Professor..

Knowing your Professor
Claire Willis

I am always overly eager for the first day of classes to arrive. Everyone back on campus, the hustle and bustle, and of course, new professors. Not only am I excited for all the new courses the semester will bring, I am especially excited for the professors or T.A's that will be teaching my course. Being a senior, one thing I have learned throughout my college experience is the importance of getting to know your professor.

Every course I take, I make it a point to actually get to know my professor instead of being a face out of 30, 100, or 200. Do this, it will benefit you greatly in the long run, and enhance your experience as a student. Believe it or not, professors want you to use them as a resource.When you start a new course, email your professor, whether it be letting him know how eager you are for the course or if you have a simple syllabus question, get your professor to know your name. I always try to go into office hours within the first couple of weeks to familiarize myself with my professor and for the professor to familiarize himself with me. Making a small connection with your professor and at least giving a name to one of the many faces they encounter throughout the day can have many positive outcomes. First being, you are so much more likely to go and seek help early and therefore prevent falling behind. Many things pop up throughout a semester whether it be illness, a family emergency or a crisis, knowing your professors can make you more comfortable to communicate this to them, and potentially make them be more understanding. And lastly your grade, putting in the extra effort, utilizing all of your resources, professors see and notice this and may be more likely to help you do better. Potentially even bump your grade if you are in the dreaded .49 region. So make the most of your time here, and get you know your professor.