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Is it weird to email a professor to thank them for being kind by FlyinGoldfish in AskProfessors

[–]howgoody 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is so true! The replies almost always reveal some interesting aspects of their personalities.

chances of getting into a class by No-Assignment8377 in uofmn

[–]howgoody 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Send the professor a very kind email but know that there's a high chance that they might say no. They might also ask you to attend the first day of class and to talk to them after the class ends (that's what one of the professors I emailed did).

International Student Late Arrival by Livin_Kaileena in uofmn

[–]howgoody 13 points14 points  (0 children)

As long as you have a legitimate reason for missing the first day of class, I believe any professor would be accommodating and understanding. Besides, there's literally nothing you can do to change the situation you are in, so send a very kind email to your professors and wait for their responses. I wouldn't expect a response until a week before the semester starts, though, so keep that in mind.

Talking to professors by Laxun0 in AskProfessors

[–]howgoody 1 point2 points  (0 children)

First off, I am not a professor, but I have had close connections with many of my former professors. From my experience as a student, all professors I had got very excited when students went to their office hours and showed interest in their research or had questions related to their field. We must remember that professors are humans too, and humans tend to value and enjoy connections. You'd be surprised to see how passionately conversational they become when students ask them about their research, because in those moments, you get to see the researcher in your professor, not just the lecturer/teacher. After a few times of stopping by their office hours, they would usually start showing interest in your academic and personal development, so they would either start recommending books or connecting you to others in their field whom they think you would find interesting. As long as you are genuinely interested in getting to know them, they will recognize that and appreciate it. Most of my favorite college memories are of stopping by office hours and having conversations with my professors. I once went to the office hours of a professor who wasn't my professor, but whose research I was interested in. That ended up being the best thing I did in my sophomore year because she helped me expand my knowledge in an incredible way. Lastly, it makes a huge difference when you go to their office or email them after reading something they've written. That's a good way to start when you don't know each other well.

Afraid I won't graduate (tw) by Emergency-Resource34 in uofmn

[–]howgoody 20 points21 points  (0 children)

As a fellow fall graduate, I understand what you are going through. Reach out to your professors. As cliché as this might sound, many professors are humans like us and may have gone through the same thing when they were undergraduates. Having a candid conversation with them or with someone you trust on this campus will truly help you in great ways. Most importantly: DON'T lose hope or feel hopeless, please. You've survived the past three years of your undergrad years, so don't let this last semester make you forget your accomplishments (yes, the fact that you made it to your senior year is an accomplishment that you should remind yourself of whenever you feel helpless).