How to Use Office Hours Most Effectively

The first element of office hours that you need to make peace with is that you’re not a failure of a student for needing help. I was incredibly stubborn about even attending office hours because I believed it was an indication of my failure as a student to properly study. I believed that I should have been able to digest and apply all the information myself, without any support from the professor or my classmates. I was able to survive my first year of college doing that; however, by the spring semester of my sophomore year, I was starting to encounter abstract topics that I needed more time to understand than the short lectures provided.

I swallowed my pride and walked into Dr. Lutzer’s office, the professor of my multivariable and vector calculus class at the time. I was erroneously expecting him to mock me a bit for showing up, but that perception was swiftly destroyed as he graciously helped me through a problem I was struggling to comprehend on the homework. I went to his office hours multiple times during the semester whenever I had any questions, taking advantage of all the pointers he was giving me. Eventually, I formed a strong connection with him, and we send each other emails occasionally to catch up.

That is one of my many positive anecdotes I have about attending office hours. To make the most effective use of them, ensure that you have a game plan upon arriving. The professor may be helping other students, limiting the amount of 1:1 time you will have with them. Knowing what questions you want to ask, where you need to open the textbook to, and having your homework on hand will prepare you much better for your visit. Your professor will appreciate your preparedness, as they won’t have to go digging through their resources to understand what you’re asking.

Additionally, it’s worth reinforcing that these professors have explicitly set aside time within their week to be a resource to you. You are not disturbing them by coming to their office hours; they specifically chose that time because it works best for them. No guarantees about what will happen if you arrive blatantly outside of their office hours, though.

Beyond asking for help about the course, come prepared to share a little about yourself! Professors are human too, and they will remember you over other students if you’re coming to their office asking questions. Good professors will want to know how you’re doing or if you have any exciting plans coming up. It’s about getting to know you as a person instead of just another face in one of their lectures. This shouldn’t be a one-sided conversation either; professors are interesting people with a lot of life experience, and you can learn a lot from them as well. Developing a connection with them will help you in the long term, as you will be among the first on their mind if they have cool opportunities, such as TA or research positions.

With these tips and tricks, not only will your grades improve in courses you were struggling with, but you will become a better student as well. Everyone struggles at different points of their college life. Developing an inquisitive habit now will be vital in the workplace, as you will be viewed as eager to learn and capable of taking initiative. You’ll be doing your future self a favor!