It's your first week of college/university!
Your course instructor gives you a syllabus that tells you when and where you can visit their office hours, but you skim past it.
Office hours aren't mandatory to attend, so why bother going? Plus, you can get everything you need from the syllabus, right?
Think again!
Going to office hours is time well spent! You'll benefit from the extra help if you need it.
What Are Office Hours?
Course instructors set aside office hours to help students beyond the classroom with:
understanding difficult material
upcoming assignment expectations
preparing for midterms and final exams
writing papers and preparing presentations
Quiz
Sally is confused by a topic taught in her economics class and the mid term is tomorrow. She can't go to the office hours as she has classes one after the other. What are her best options?
Did you know?
What Office Hours Aren't!
Tutoring sessions where instructors teach you everything
Whining sessions where you complain about the challenges of the course
Defending sessions where you argue about your marks or make excuses for not submitting assignments
Benefits Of Going To Office Hours:
1) Fill the gaps in your learning
Come prepared to ask your professor questions about what you didn't understand during class.
2) Learn from peers
Go with a study partner to office hours so you can learn from your peers about the course material and beyond. You can learn from their questions and pick up some studying tips your peers use.
3) Get detailed feedback
You can get detailed feedback on your performance on the assignments, mid-term or finals.
4) Build rapport
The professor will notice your active presence during the semester. This may help you get:
a recommendation letter for a job or higher education
academic placement opportunities (research assistant, teaching assistant, etc.)
Did you know?
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Myths Around Office Hours
You'll be judged by the instructor: On the contrary, instructors like it when students make the extra effort to attend office hours. The instructors are there to help you excel in your learning journey.
Instructors get agitated: The instructors have set aside these hours for the students to ask their questions at length. They'll answer them patiently, as they're not in a rush to finish the course goal.
Take Action
Prepare for office hours:
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