“How are your classes this semester? How do you like your professors?” I ask, twirling a pencil in hand.
My friend’s reply sounds over the phone pressed to my ear. That’s our primary avenue of communication, these days. The two of us attend different universities four hours apart. I go to a private, liberal arts college in a small town; she attends a public university thirty times the size of mine in our significantly larger home city.
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“Classes are hard, but I think I’ll manage. My professors seem all right. I really like my biology teacher—he seems pretty cool.”
“That’s awesome! What’s he like? Have you gotten to talk to him much?”
My friend laughs over the phone.
“Well, it’s actually an online class. I don’t even know what the guy looks like, but he’s really funny in his voice-overs on our online PowerPoints.”
Her response leaves me speechless. Her favorite professor is one who doesn’t even know her name?
My friend’s student-professor relationship was—and still is—a foreign one to me. How different it is from the ones I’ve made at my school!
In the past year and a half at my university, I have developed close student-mentor relationships with three of my professors. By that, I mean that I regularly visit their offices to discuss interesting topics or talk about life or ask questions not necessarily related to their classes. These three teachers pour into me every single day, and it has absolutely changed my life.
In all honestly, I specifically chose my university because of this. I knew that at a smaller school that does not offer degrees above the bachelor level, the individual undergraduate students are made a priority. I understand that the availability of connections with professors is much more obtainable at my school than at larger ones, but I also know that many professors at every university (regardless of size) yearn to develop relationships with their students.
So…why aren’t you taking advantage of this?
These professors are experts in their fields. I’ve learned more from the one-on-one conversations I’ve had with my teachers outside of the curriculum than I’ve ever learned in a classroom setting. They have encouraged me to pursue furthering my education—not only through more schooling after a bachelor degree, but also through my own personal endeavors. Because I befriended one of my professors in my first semester of college, I was invited to go on his research trip to California with another professor and two upper class students. As a freshman, I was given hands-on research experience overseen by a PhD professor. In fact, I am even currently engaged in a weekly meeting with this same professor discussing a book that he gave me to read. If that isn’t a personal investment, I don’t know what is!
Students, these teachers WANT you to go to them. If you need help, they are waiting with open arms to help you. After all, they decided to pursue teaching in the first place because they wanted to invest in our academics (and us!). Take full advantage of that.
However, even beyond assistance, I encourage you to strive for mentorship. My professors kindled a love of learning in me, something I never felt in high school. They have encouraged me, pushed me, and shaped me. I am more thankful for their intentional relationships than I can ever put into words. Fellow students, you can gain these kinds of mentors in your professors, too. All you have to do is seek them.
