I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but if you want to build a strong, professional relationship with your professors, there is no better way than to go to office hours! As a freshman I would hear this word of advice all the time and be intimidated by the prospect of spending one-on-one time with someone I thought I was supposed to fear. However, once I started to go, I realized how much this time was helping me as a student and a professional (and how friendly the professors really are).
Help on assignments
One way you can utilize office hours to your advantage is asking your professor for guidance or assistance on a certain assignment. Sure, you may have a good idea of the subject matter and feel like you’d be able to complete it on your own, but I have found that it is incredibly valuable to approach a professor and ask them what they expect and hope to see out of the assignment. This eliminates any confusion and allows you to cater your work to the specific preferences of the professor
Shows dedication as a student
Most professors love to see students at office hours because it proves that those students are thinking about that class outside of the allotted time. It may seem mundane to pop into a professor’s office to ask a question, but it really shows that you care about your success in that class and as a student.
Professional guidance
By going to office hours, you are allowing your professor to get to know you on a personal level. They will be able to better understand your strengths and weaknesses as a student, your work ethic, and your personality overall. In my case, showing my professors who I was as a student and a person led me to create really strong academic and personal relationships with them. When I started applying for internships and other opportunities, I had faculty I could turn to to ask to use as references or letters of recommendation.
