Professors

[sunshine02]

Does anyone have any good advice on how to cultivate a positive relationship with science professors? They're usually so busy with research and writing grants that it seems to me like professors in the humanities generally have more time to devote to students but I may be wrong. I would love to know my professors better but don't know how I should do that with science professors.

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[SirCardiac]

Does anyone have any good advice on how to cultivate a positive relationship with science professors? They're usually so busy with research and writing grants that it seems to me like professors in the humanities generally have more time to devote to students but I may be wrong. I would love to know my professors better but don't know how I should do that with science professors.

Your best bet is to attend office hours. If you cannot make them, try to schedule an appointment with him or her. Im not sure if the classes are purely lecture based or includes some student interaction, but try to participate if the class permits.

 

[sunshine02]

Thanks! It's a 300-people lecture class and unfortunately science professors here don't have office hours (TAs do). I guess I'll try making appointments, although that will likely mean scattered, superficial interactions.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Don't try to be friends with professors in big classes if you can avoid it. It's much easier to do in smaller classes. Most of my classes in the past two years have had ~10 students in them (small major at a school with an already low faculty:student ratio), and it really just gave us a natural positive relationship with the professors. It's gotten to the point where we crack jokes and call them nicknames during class.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Don't try to be friends with professors in big classes if you can avoid it. It's much easier to do in smaller classes. Most of my classes in the past two years have had ~10 students in them (small major at a school with an already low faculty:student ratio), and it really just gave us a natural positive relationship with the professors. It's gotten to the point where we crack jokes and call them nicknames during class.

Doctor Strange for the win

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

I think you need to find a professor that you have some common ground with. That's what I did in a ~60 seat upper division class, and we became pretty good pals. I also graded for him after that, and we had some fun times laughing at awful answers. College was fun haha

 

[lobo.solo]

Does anyone have any good advice on how to cultivate a positive relationship with science professors? They're usually so busy with research and writing grants that it seems to me like professors in the humanities generally have more time to devote to students but I may be wrong. I would love to know my professors better but don't know how I should do that with science professors.

Destroy the exams, ask intricate and smart questions--not like "is this going to he on the exam"

 

[lovesfall]

Destroy the exams, ask intricate and smart questions--not like "is this going to he on the exam"

+1. Doing well in hard classes and asking good questions is a pretty reliable way to get on their radar.

 

[physiologist]

I met both my profs in 600+ people classes. The first recited poetry in class, and I was able to wordsmith my way into her heart (wrote more poems and sent them to her). We talked for hours since we had a lot in common - our artsy sides! We also belonged to the same cultural background which seemed to make connecting a bit easier. My second prof also taught a 600+ person class, but I ended up working in his lab on an independent project.

It can be done!!! Just be friendly also none of the profs had office hours. I kinda just coasted by their office every so offen to see if they were free and they were!