How To Get Involved in the Classroom

Hello Vikings! Your first semester as a college student has finally started! Taking a college class can be very different from taking a high school class. In a lot of high schools, you have grown up with the students and the teachers, so you know almost everyone. In college, you may not know any of the students in your class or your professors, which can be a little scary. You also might not know how to get the most out of your class time. Well not to worry! Here are four ways to get involved in the classroom!

 

1.) Participate

Sitting in your seat and listening to your professor for an hour and fifteen minutes (or longer) can be challenging sometimes. Professors know this too so they will ask questions about the material to help you get involved. Take advantage of these questions. Answering the questions helps reinforce that you know the material and helps you follow along in the lecture. There are also many opportunities for you to ask questions and/or give your opinion on a topic. Participating is a great way to increase your understanding of the material and in some classes, you earn points for participating!

2.) Talk to students around you

Students often get to class early so there is a little downtime before class begins. Classes are a lot more fun if you know someone who is in your class. Therefore, turn to someone sitting near you and just say a simple “hi”. Maybe a “how is your day going” or “what do you think of classes so far?” Simple questions such as these are great ways to meet people in your class. In addition, some professors have you do group work. This is another great way to make friends! Not only do you help each other learn, but you get to know one another.

3.) Take notes

Taking notes can sometimes be tiring, but believe me, they do help you learn! It helps you retain information and they make wonderful study tools. It is important to remember that when a professor presents a Powerpoint, you do not have to write everything down word for word. Sometimes professors move through presentations quickly, so you will not have time to write every single word down. Plus, why write things down that you do not understand? Paraphrasing what is on the slide will help you understand the material better and keeps your notes short and simple. In addition, many professors post their Powerpoints on canvas, so you can print them out and take notes on the side!

4.) Say hi to the professor after class and introduce yourself

Professors are not meant to be these scary, unapproachable aliens. They are people just like you and even better, they want you to succeed! Getting to know the professor makes the class seem a lot less scarier. Just saying “hi” when you enter the classroom and/or “have a good day” or “thank you” when you exit the classroom goes a long way. In addition, if you are not comfortable asking questions during class, you can ask your professor a question before or after class. Lastly, if you do not have time before or after class, you can go to a professor’s office hours, which means time outside of class where you can meet with him or her to go over homework, questions, tests, etc. Getting to know your professors is a great method to help you with classes, plus, besides being amazing people, professors can come in handy for writing you letters of recommendation in the future!

Class time does not have to be something that you dread every day. Whether it is making friends in the classroom or getting to know your professor, there are tons of ways to stay active and engaged! College is a wonderful opportunity, so take advantage of this great experience!