How to Build Relationships with your Teachers & Professors
As a student, you spend hours each week with your teachers, professors and mentors. And while it’s important to do well in class and get good grades on exams, it can be even more valuable if you build relationships with them outside of the classroom as well (it's who you know, not what you know).
Sade's Tips for Success:
1. Be an active participant in class
When you ask questions in class, you show that you’re engaged and interested in what they have to say.
When you ask them questions outside of class, it shows that their opinions are important to you—and that means a lot!
2. Get involved inside and outside the classroom
You can also get involved in research and other school projects with your professors so pay attention to what they may be working on
Get involved in the extracurriculars that professor may be involved in
3. Go to office hours consistently
Teachers, professors and mentors appreciate when students make an effort to reach out, ask for help and demonstrate their interest in their class, field, research and knowledge
If you can't make office hours, make an appointment (even if you don't need help with concepts in the class)
Bonus Tip: Don't wait until you need something to do ANY of this. Do it genuinely throughout your academic career and it will pay dividends later on. I've had just one professor write me more than 15 recommendations (and she was happy to do it). Relationships matter.
