Office Hours: Are They Worth Your Time?

In the fall quarter of my sophomore year, I took the last calculus class in the series and there were two midterms and one final. Well, I practically failed the first midterm. It was a pretty devastating moment but because of the grading policy, there was a way to come back from this! My roommate was also in this class and we were in the same boat. So we went to office hours together probably two or three times a week in preparation for the next midterm and to get all of the homework right. We got on a first-name basis with our professor, we were practically friends. When the second midterm came around I felt really prepared and got a 100%. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? Then we continued going to office hours and I got a 94% on the cumulative final. Easily, this is the most accomplished I had ever felt. I put in hours of hard work for this class and it really paid off. 

This story is exactly why I encourage everyone to take advantage of office hours. For anything STEM related, it is extremely important to have a professor or TA help you understand the material. 

In terms of classes where you are mainly writing essays or creating presentations, office hours are probably even more important. You have the opportunity to talk to the person grading your paper about exactly what they hope to see. I once had to write a paper on game theory about the Russian-Ukraine War with a four-page limit and let me just say, there is more to unpack about this war than just four pages worth. But by going to office hours, I was able to figure out exactly what my TA thought was important to include and because of that I not only wrote probably the best essay I’ve ever written, but I also got a really good grade. 

Creating Relationships

Another crucial reason for attending office hours is that you have the opportunity to speak with some of the most intelligent people you’ve ever encountered right at your fingertips. Your professors set aside time in their week to speak with YOU. Take advantage of this! One of my professors during my freshman year was basically famous in the academic world. I even remember telling an older friend of mine that she was my professor and my friend knew exactly who she was right away and was extremely jealous. I wish I had understood the significance that building relationships with professors could have at the time.

By connecting with professors you can open up TA opportunities, they may connect you with potential job opportunities, they can help advise on how to be more successful when trying to build your resume, they can write letters of recommendation if you plan to pursue a master’s degree or any other higher form of education, and so much more. 

My Tips

I understand that attending office hours can be intimidating at times or you may not want to set aside time for it, but here are some tips that I wish someone had told me sooner:

1. If you are nervous, try going with a friend in class! This is specifically beneficial for classes where you are trying to understand problems such as math because the chances are your friends have the same questions.
2. No matter the reason you are attending office hours, come prepared with questions! Sometimes when I was trying to build a connection I didn’t know how to get the ball rolling, and having questions is the way to make sure you always have something to talk about. But make sure they are meaningful and relevant questions. 
3. Follow through with your office hours whether that be through email or continuing to go to office hours (or both!). One professor that I had gave a mini-lecture on building relationships with professors and she mentioned that it is vital for students to continue to email professors they may want a letter of recommendation from throughout the summer and to make sure they are talking about themselves and are very to the point. Professors are busy so they don’t just want conversations throughout the summer like your friends, but update them on achievements and have a nice academic conversation. Finding the balance between going on about yourself and trying to have a conversation where the professor is engaged is still something that I’m working on, but it is essential to building these relationships. 

There are so many reasons that going to office hours is important. I understand that they are intimidating. That’s why I am also still working on mastering the skill of building relationships with my professors through office hours. But professors are there to educate you and want to help you succeed, so don’t be afraid to ask for help!