Hey guys! So last spring, I took a course outside my department that I absolutely loved. It was a fairly big lecture class, and I was pretty scared to speak up at the time, so I almost definitely made no impression on the professor — there’s basically a 0% chance he knows who I am at all.
Anyway, I loved the content of the course, and this summer I’m interning in the specific field at a department that that professor is a consult for. I think it would be cool to email the professor and sit down with him to discuss his experience/academic trajectory in the field, his research (I don’t know if/how I would be able to ask to help with his research, especially as a rising senior?), and how this is something I would like to pursue further. Additionally, recently I’ve been thinking about applying to grad school, and if I do end up applying for a Master’s in this field, it would be great if he could write me a recommendation. However, he certainly doesn’t remember my work in his class and I don’t know if I can establish enough of a relationship with him just by sitting down and talking with him for him to write me a letter in the future.
There are a lot of questions tied up in this, and I’m sure I’m overthinking this as I do with everything, but would it be weird for me to email him and ask to sit down and talk? Do the things I mentioned above seem like good things to ask him about? I’ve been so terrible at establishing relationships with professors in larger classes, but I don’t know if it’s too late to start. Does anyone have any anecdotal experience/advice that could help me be less anxious about this?
"would it be weird for me to email him and ask to sit down and talk? "
I think that this is a big part of what professors do. If they didn’t want to do this then they shouldn’t be professors.
“how this is something I would like to pursue further.”
Absolutely tell him that.
"it would be great if he could write me a recommendation. "
Are you a senior now, or next year? Is this a year or more into the future? You don’t have to ask him right away.
“would it be weird for me to email him and ask to sit down and talk?”
Not weird at all. Go for it.
“Do the things I mentioned above seem like good things to ask him about?”
Yes, but I wouldn’t ask him about the reference right away. Definitely ask him how you can get more involved in this field. If you are a senior now and need the reference now then you can ask now, otherwise you might wait until he knows you better.
By the way, exploring different fields and finding out what you want to do into the future is a big part of what being an undergraduate student should be about. Discovering a field that you are interested in is a huge win. That doesn’t mean that you will do this for the rest of your life, but more that it is something to pursue now and you will see how it goes.
“This is good this is what they should do and i knew that they would.” – The Cat in the Hat, Dr Seuss
I think if you go in and straightforwardly say “You won’t remember me, but I took your xyz class last year and it had a big effect on me…so big in fact that I’m doing an internship and thinking of studying in the field etcetc” the prof will be delighted to talk with you. And congrats on finding an area you’re passionate about!
@dadtwogirls @stradmom Thank you so much! That was what I was hoping to hear. I know that this is part of what professors do, but I’m always so anxious to take the first step out of fear of being annoying or putting them in an awkward situation. And I’m a junior currently, so the reference would be in the future if I am able to establish some sort of a one-on-one relationship with him. Again, thanks for the reassurance!