<p>For one class, We could print the notes off the internet and use them during tests. In this case would you print them off the internet or write them by hand during lectures (They are the same power point notes)</p>
<p>I'm quite confused by office hours, do you need an appointment? Also is it better to go to the professors office hours rather than the TAs?</p>
<p>I usually print out PowerPoints if they're available before lecture. I import it into Word and do the notes format which leaves lines for writing extra notes next to each slide (to do this, go to File in PowerPoint, Send To, Microsoft Word, and for the layout, pick blank lines next to slides).</p>
<p>As far as office hours, you usually don't need an appointment. I've emailed professors just to let them know I was planning to stop by, but that's it. We don't have any TAs teaching classes here, but I would assume you could probably go to the TAs with most of your questions...</p>
<p>You don't even have to email the prof to let them know you're stopping by -- they want to see you and they're there anyway, so they don't have to know in advance (unless you're asking them to read a draft of a paper and have comments for you during office hours, etc).</p>
<p>Will profs look at your as a major suck up if you go in to talk to them when you don't really have any questions? What if you are doing just fine in a course without any help? Should you still go in and introduce yourself or will you look like a jerk for wasting their time when you don't have any reason to be there?</p>
<p>if you care, they'd love to talk to you</p>
<p>if you don't care, don't waste their time, or yours.</p>
<p>Depends on the professor. Some professors are more interested in doing or recruiting for research projects than in teaching or getting to know the students just for the sake of it. You can usually tell from class what their preferences are, so just respect their preferences.</p>
<p>What would you talk about if you randomly dropped in to see a professor? This is fairly alien to me. I understand the need to network but how do you just walk in and start talking about... and what?</p>
<p>Nah, just pretend like you don't understand something. That's the best way to chat with your profs.</p>
<p>CityGal55 </p>
<p>There is nothing. I repeat, nothing. Wrong with saying hello to your profs during office hours the first week of classes or something. </p>
<p>gosh</p>
<p>Just say hello and speak of "things" a smidgen.</p>
<p>Try to be nice because you never know when you will have to actually use their office hours if you need a bit of academic assistance.</p>
<p>profs are people too. just talk to them like you would any other person (while being respectful, of course) If it seems like the prof enjoys talking to you, then keep at it, if he/she doesn't, then you can keep it limited to questions and high-tail it out of there. most professors really do like talking to students about anything, course-related or not, as long as it doesn't interfere with other students asking questions or other stuff.</p>
<p>Especially when it's early in the semester, is a good time to drop by to chat and get to know them (and more importantly, get them to know you) before midterms start and everyone is vying for some professor time.</p>
<p>Profs are required to be there during their office hours, and they are sad and lonely if no one comes. If you feel awkward just saying "I just want to chat," you can try some of these:</p>
<p>--I'm planning my classes for next semester and I really am enjoying your class. What other professors in your department do you recommend?
--You mentioned in class the other day that you're doing research on the Y chromosome / Wilson's influence on the Mexican Revolution / Nozek, and it sounded really interesting. Could you tell me more about what you're working on?
--I really enjoyed the discussion we were having in class the other day about the Y chromosome / Wilson's influence on the Mexican Revolution / Nozek, but I don't quite understand why [fill in the black].</p>
<p>I go to a small school, and I would regularly talk to profs after class. No office hours or anything. And often it wasn't even classwork related. I'd BS with some of my profs for 20 minutes about stuff like cars and baseball.</p>
<p>Most of them (at least at my school) are nice folks who remind you of high school teachers. You just have to approach them as such.</p>
<p>Yeah, i used to BS with my one Prof about football all the time. He was a huge cowboys fan and I am an eagles fan so we loved to rag on each other. Just say hi and talk to them like a normal person because that's what they are...</p>
<p>I don't know if I should be trying to have any sort of relationship with my professors. Because every time that has happened I get graded down even if I get all A's on exams and quizzes and **** because apparently I'm not trying hard enough and could do more.</p>
<p>So annoying.</p>
<p>BUT, with one professor.. I didn't study at all and he gave me an A for a human rights course. And it was hard too. Like I'm sure I got like 30% on the exam or something. But I guess because we talked a lot and he even wrote me a rec he cut me some slack? who knows.</p>
<p>I'd rather be anonymous though, I think.</p>