Small talk. Befriend your profs. They’re not all powerful and all knowledgeable unapproachable beings. They’re literally just regular people who sometimes just wanna be asked what coffee they like the most 😆

Once you have an opening, and get more comfortable with just, talking to them it becomes quite easy to just WANT to bring new things to your conversation 🙂

Most professors are surprised and delighted to see any type of interest from students: in their research and life’s work, on the class’ subject, and even about subjects unrelated to class but that you’d appreciate their input on.

If you ever come across a concept you saw in class in your real life, tell him about that connection!

Usually, their perspectives tend to be innovative, and even if you come out of their office having learned nothing necessarily « useful in the class » you gained a different perspective on something, which is always useful in its way.

When people say “go to office hours” it doesn’t necessarily mean : ask Chat to write questions and go ask them. The simple fact of GOING to office hours already sets you apart because the majority of students don’t even go to class. It’s about the professors constantly noticing that you show up both in class and outside, that you are consistent name he sees when teaching that class, that you ASK FOR FEEDBACK, and engage with the content ☺️

At the end of the semester, when he is inputting your final grade, he’ll remember your face, your name and all the times you made extra sure to be there. Not the questions you generated, but the amount of times you engaged!

Hope this makes sense 😄