As the spring semester continues, we could all use a little extra push to make it through midterms and upcoming projects. I for one have been needing a little extra motivation lately, so I've decided to really put my on-campus resources to good use.
I've been taking advantage of the free food, T-shirts and service dog-in-training kissing booth. But, the one resource that has really motivated me this semester is actually really simple -- I have been going to my professors' office hours. I know it sounds silly, but it really does pay off.
Today at my bio professor's office, I was able to go over my last exam, figure out which questions I got wrong and we had an in-depth discussion of why I got them wrong and how to remember the material for the final in April.
If you need a little more convincing, you can use office hours to your advantage. This means more than just going over old exams or asking questions you truly don't want the answers to and never getting those 30+ minutes back.
Last week, I took a quiz for my Developmental Psychology class and I was confused about one of the questions. So, I went to my professor's office hours and after an effective academic discussion, he concluded that he "[didn't] like the question", so he deleted it from the quiz for everyone in the class.
Was I expecting that to happen? Of course not, because you can't expect professors to change your grade simply because you want them to. Don't be afraid to challenge the course material or quizzes/tests, though, because you could be right!
Another reason going to office hours pays off is if you want to be a teaching assistant (TA) or ask a faculty member to mentor you for research. There are only so many ways to go about doing either of these without connecting with your professors or faculty members first.
Going to office hours, in general, can be daunting, but the added stress of making a good, lasting impression is hard for some students. I suggest emailing your professors if you're an online student or you get nervous with face-to-face conversations.
Either way, try to start building these relationships as soon as possible because these individuals can help you with your resume, CV for grad school, letters of recommendation, campus resources, and most of all study tips so you can spend more time rewatching "The Office" for the millionth time.
