office hours/building relationships with profs Forum

(Study Tips, Dealing With Stress, Maintaining a Social Life, Financial Aid, Internships, Bar Exam, Careers in Law . . . )
Post Reply
ladysansastark

New
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 6:48 pm

office hours/building relationships with profs

Post by ladysansastark » Thu Sep 07, 2017 2:11 am

I went to a very small high school/college so this my first time with lectures of >80. Any advice on how to build relationships with professors? What types of questions/topics should I ask in office hours? How often is too often to go to office hours? For older students/alums, anything you wish you had done in terms of connecting with profs?

User avatar
cavalier1138

Moderator
Posts: 8007
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 8:01 pm

Re: office hours/building relationships with profs

Post by cavalier1138 » Thu Sep 07, 2017 6:40 am

I'd advise not being neurotic and weird. Don't go to office hours if you don't have something you actually want to talk about with the professor, which does not have to be explicitly related to class. You should ask them about topics that interest you and that you would appreciate their perspective on. You should act like a normal human being having a conversation with another human being who has experience in the field you're interested in.

User avatar
Leprechaun

Bronze
Posts: 146
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:00 pm

Re: office hours/building relationships with profs

Post by Leprechaun » Sat Sep 23, 2017 8:33 pm

I got to know many of my profs simply by asking them to dinner. Probably helps that I was an older student (mid 40's). Had a couple come to see me perform in community theatre, had a couple come to my hometown for dinner and tours of my courthouse office, and I still go out with a couple of them from time to time even after I graduated in Dec 2016.

I've never understood why some students were "afraid" or "awkward" around professors. They are just people like anyone else. Build relationships and it can help you navigate around school as well as add a few new friends to do things with.

Post Reply

Return to “Forum for Law School Students”