Having a crazy professor is something that should be celebrated in college. Cliché as it seems, taking a class from an “out there” professor challenges students to stay dedicated to their studies and work harder to pass the class.
Some students might drop the class immediately once they get the sense that their teacher is going to make it rain with essays and other assignments. For those who didn’t drop the class, they’re the brave ones who accepted the challenge. So if you’re stuck with a professor who is kind of ridiculous, these tips will help you deal with them.
1. Ask yourself, “Are they a hard professor or do they just seriously care about the subject?”
It takes blood, sweat and tears to become a professor, especially if they have their doctorate. They have the experience from an educational institution or life experience and they want to give you an appreciation for the subject too.
2. Put yourself in your professors shoes
Remember they’re just doing their job. No doubt they, too, have dealt with a bad professor during their college experience. Plus, it’s a hard job because you have to grade papers, prepare lectures, constantly research, aid at least 40 students, and somehow find time to take care of yourself.
3. Be positive instead of complaining
The more you complain the more you’ll hate the class and won’t learn the material. A positive attitude leads to happiness and success. You’ll do better in the class if you keep up the work and be happy about it. If not, you’ll find more reasons to procrastinate and end up failing the class.
4. Be professional, not the annoying kid in class.
The best way to handle your crazy professor is to establish a relationship and be professional. Your professor just wants to help you succeed and in order to do that, they have to know you. A problem in big universities is that many students are known as a number and not by their name. Talk to your professor about the problems you have and they’ll work with you on earning a better grade in the class.
5. Remember, it’s not forever.
A semester is only four months of your life. One class is worth three credit hours which means three hours of your week to be dedicated to the class and perhaps two hours to study. The more you do the work, the more you’ll get done and be able to do other things in your spare time. You’ll be proud of the grade you have by finals, I promise.
6. Fill out your course evaluations
If a professor is consistently unprofessional in class or isn’t living up to the syllabus, it’s your job to tell somebody. One of the best ways to do this is through course evaluations at the end of the semester. Each and every submission is considered and taken into account, so you can bet your feedback will help make the class better for the next round of students.