<p>Hey guys!
So this semester I'm a TA for a bio lab, and since I'm an undergrad (senior), I don't actually have an office. Part of the requirement for my TA job is to have an office hour every week, so I was wondering where I should have it (Starbucks, student center, dining hall, library?). Where would you prefer to meet a TA or what have you or your TAs done in the past? Thanks!</p>
<p>A lot of TA’s I’ve had held their office hours in a coffee shop (didn’t realize it was probably because they didn’t have an office… it all makes sense now). Student center wouldn’t be a bad idea. With a dining hall, it’d be too noisy and inaccessible to students w/o a meal plan, and the library wouldn’t allow you to have long conversations without getting shushed.</p>
<p>Good suggestions above, although if the library has a group study floor (talking is allowed) or study rooms you can for sure reserve every week, you could have hours without being disruptive.</p>
<p>Student center could be fine too, same with coffee shop (never heard of that, but I’m only a sophomore). I wouldn’t do dining halls, they can get noisy.</p>
<p>Somewhere reasonably accessible with resources appropriate to the kinds of questions you’ll be getting.</p>
<p>Have you asked the bio department? I’d imagine this isn’t the first time they’re hiring undergrads who don’t have offices, so they might have a suggestion.</p>
<p>The professor just suggested somewhere I would already be for an hour, but I don’t think that my apartment pool is an ideal location ;)</p>
<p>The library study rooms would probably be best, especially if they have chalk/whiteboards, I bet that would make your life SO much easier.</p>
<p>A lot of my full-blown professors didn’t even have Office Hours in their Office. Starbucks was a popular location or the outdoor cafe.</p>
<p>Another vote for coffee shop. I know some profs who choose to hold office hours there instead of their office, because the casual atmosphere makes it more comfortable to have a conversation.</p>
<p>I would personally hate meeting with someone at a coffee shop. It is too loud and distracting (people come in that may know, you may know). I would want the library.</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of having office hours at a coffee shop. That seems way too noisy and distracting. </p>
<p>If your library has a floor that allows group study and discussion, I would have it there. You could also reserve a study room, but it might get complicated if you can’t get the same room every week.</p>
<p>One of my professors had her office hours at the black cultural center. It was pretty close to the dorms, and she did it to be convienent for the majority of the kids who were in the dorms and done with classes already at 3:30.</p>
<p>My school has help rooms there were not always staffed and lots of rooms you can go study in. If you have any of those I would say use them.</p>
<p>I’d also recommend Starbucks. I had a professor who held office hours there sometimes, and it was a good environment. You could get something to eat/drink, there was something going on so it wasn’t just two people sitting in a silent room, but it was also peaceful enough to have a conversation at normal volume.</p>
<p>Why not reserve a classroom for your TA sessions? If it’s a small class you can get a conference room and if it’s larger go with a normal classroom. If you don’t know how to go about doing it, go ask a secretary in your department; they’ll help you out.</p>
<p>Personally, I don’t think a coffee shop is very practical for a subject like bio where you might need to be doing writing in a format large enough for everyone to see, or talk to a number of people at once.</p>
<p>I second RacinReaver: get a classroom. Social places are not appropriate for office hours. Keep in mind that you might get more than one or two students at a time, especially before exams. How would you handle a crowd of 10 students at Starbucks?</p>