Everyone remembers the class clown from high school, the person that does whatever is necessary to draw attention to his/herself. Maybe you were even that very person in your school. College is different. In college, people take their education more seriously (at least for the most part) and nothing forces a professor to tolerate class disruptions. College professors are a unique species. Each individual professor requires certain things from a student that could be foreign to another professor. However, there are some basic things to do to get on a professor’s good side, and also some behaviors to avoid if you want to remain on the good side.
What to do:
- Pay attention: Nobody enjoys speaking to a crowd of people that doesn't look interested. Keep your head up during class, sit up straight in your chair, and act as if you want to be in class.
- Contribute: Professors take notice of the students that choose to participate in class discussion. If you have an opinion on a topic, don’t hesitate to share it! If you’re timid, talk to the professor after class. Building a relationship with the professor will help to make you more comfortable the next time you get the opportunity to speak out.
- Be on time: Make sure to set alarms to get to class on time. If you usually oversleep, set multiple alarms. Professors will notice if you are consistently late. This applies to the homework assignments, too. A student who was diligent with their work and always attending class is the student that the professor is most likely to help later in the semester.
What NOT to do:
- Do NOT misuse electronics: Anybody standing in front of an audience of people can tell whether or not that audience is paying attention. You might think you are going unnoticed, but that professor is taking a mental note of who you are and they will remember!
- Do NOT fall asleep: If your plan is to sleep during class anyway, you might as well stay in the dorm. Sleeping during class does not help you learn the material. Have enough respect for your professor to stay awake so as not to waste their time.
- Do NOT ask for special treatment: Unless you are an athlete or involved in an organization that requires accommodations, do not ask a professor to give you special treatment. You are not the only student he or she has to worry about that semester. Asking for extra time on an assignment that you failed to do, or trying to retake a test/quiz are both discussions that need to be avoided.
Successful students are those that maintain integrity with their work that is completed in private and uphold discipline and respect within the classroom. If you want a professor to treat you with respect, if you want a professor to show you favor on a particular grade then you need learn to show them the same respect and favor from the beginning of the semester.
