OFFICE HOURS ARE THE BEST.
get one-on-one help from your professor or TA!
good, real connections make for stronger letters-of-rec than just high grades
(but going to office hours also increases your chance of getting a good grade) because
the professor will know you worked hard and care about their class
also they’re more likely to allow you extensions/make allowances for emergencies if they’ve got a good idea of your personality and integrity
also sometimes professors have snacks
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME
please check the syllabus (or ask) how your teacher prefers to run office hours. most will allow you to just drop in; some prefer you to email about an appointment first.
I usually keep a page or two in my notebook reserved for making notes about things to bring up in office hours. these can include:
material you’re confused about
material you think you understand but you want to double-check (one really great way of checking comprehension is to ask if you can rephrase/summarize an idea to the professor and get their feedback on your understanding)
material you’re interested in and want more information about
topics you’re considering for your paper/final project
is the scale of your topic is right for the project? (can you really adequately cover the entire history of American slavery in a three-page paper?)
are you missing any obvious counter-arguments?
have you read the right sources? do they have suggestions for further reading? this can save you a lot of time poking around databases and libraries.
go after you get an essay back! if you’re not happy with your grade, ask them how to improve it; if they’ve given you feedback on the paper, ask if they have any suggestions for implementing that criticism.
other miscellaneous academic questions. this is dependent on your relationship with the professor or TA, but it can be the most rewarding use of office hours, hands down. my last two years of undergrad, I spent a lot of time in office hours (even if I wasn’t enrolled in a class with the professor) talking about graduate school, stress, the writing process, teaching, etc.
go a few times every semester, and don’t wait until the week before the exam! more students show up then, and the professor or TA will likely be busier than usual already, with the end-of-semester rush.
WHAT NOT TO DO
never ask a professor or TA to grade your essay before you turn it in. they will refuse. you can ask them for help on specifics - working out a tricky paragraph, for example, or advice on how to structure the paper. it’s helpful to send them the writing before you show up to their office.
don’t ask them to get you caught up on what you missed while you were absent (except in special circumstances). everyone gets sick or skips once in a while, but it’s not their job to re-teach an entire lesson. use your phone-a-friend option first, and then come to the professor with any specific questions.
don’t ask for exam hints. you won’t get them.
don’t go in just to complain about a bad grade. it’s irritating and disrespectful. if you’re unhappy with your mark, or think that the professor might have made a mistake (which is totally possible!) approach them about it politely and ask how you can improve it, or ask them to explain their feedback a little more.
