Going to office hours can be a drag or not seem interesting. It might also be nervewracking, and you might be afraid that you’ll come off as dumb. In reality, professors and TA’s are excited when students go in for help because students rarely do. Here are some benefits that come with going to office hours.
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1. You Create a Relationship with Your Professor or TA
The best way to help your future career is by building a relationship with a professor, especially one that is in your major. You’ll probably have this professor more than once and establishing a relationship with them can be beneficial to the future, and they’ll be able to potentially write you a letter of recommendation in the future which can help with getting into grad school or a job.. Some professors are actually interesting and can show you many opportunities that aren’t in the light.
But if you feel too intimidated to go to a professor, you can always go to a TA. TA’s are also happy to help and for some people are more approachable and seem friendlier because they are sometimes closer to our age range. TA’s know just as much and are super helpful, and it’s easy to be their friends.
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2. You Probably Need to Go
There’s probably that one class that you can’t focus as well because you’re focused on your other classes. Because of this, you can go to office hours and get clarification on a reading you skimmed or ask why you got a certain grade. The best time to go to office hours is when you have an essay or homework due, and you go get it checked out before you turn it in. This always gets me a better grade, and it lets me know what the person grading it is looking for.
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3. It Helps You Get Noticed
If you’re in an impacted major, it’s helpful to get noticed and stand out. This can get you opportunities to find out about research that only professors know about, and it can even lead to jobs in the future. Also, some scholarships offered by the school are by recommendation only, and if a professor likes you enough, they might refer you to it.
Overall, office hours aren’t scary and can be a good experience. It can help you grow as a person as it introduces you to better opportunities, and it can be fun to get to know the person doing all your lectures and discussions.