Dear upcoming freshman,
As you probably realized, there's only a little over a month before college begins, and you're faced with a new routine, classes, friends, and the introduction of college professors. If you're anything like me, you've probably heard the horror stories of college professors. Well, here's a letter of the things I wish I had been told about college professors.
First and foremost, professors don't bite! We've all been told of classes that are impossible to pass to make an A in, but that's not the case for most classes. Professors have scheduled office hours, and I highly encourage you to take advantage of this! Professors want to help you, but will only do so if you make the effort to talk to them. I remember being so intimidated by the level of intelligence of one of my science professors and it was nearly impossible for me to understand the material we were covering at the time. So I swallowed my fear, and emailed her. We set up an appointment, and went over what I couldn't understand. I felt so relieved and my graded improved after that. So don't be shy, and talk to them!
Secondly, professors care. Much like high school teachers, if you talk to them and make a connection, they notice when something is off with you. If you always attend a certain class, and then suddenly miss a few, they'll email you and try to figure out your situation. They'll work with you if you're struggling outside the classroom too.
Sometimes, they make mistakes. As smart as they are, they are still human and make mistakes. While I don't encourage you to question them constantly, if something doesn't make sense or add up, ask them about it! Nine times out of ten, they'll correct the mistake and you'll get a better understanding of the material.
Finally, I’ll say that you need to put in effort. Professors aren't likely to forgive a student who puts in minimal effort or doesn't show up to class. In order to gain the most out of a class and college as a whole, you need to put the effort in. For what you put in, is what you'll take out.
So put on your big kid pants, pay attention and make yourself known! Take a deep breath. You're gonna go far, kid.
