35 Professor Office Hours
Professors hold office hours, and we want you to come. Students sometimes are unclear about what “office hours” mean. For example, they may think that when a professor recommends that they attend office hours, it means that they’re “in trouble”—like when they have to go to the principal’s office in high school. However, office hours serve a different purpose—to help you to succeed.
So, let’s explore the real reasons for office hours and why you should attend. And remember, your professors are just people.
Why Professors Have Office Hours
Full transparency: Most colleges require professors to hold office hours. But we actually look forward to meeting with students on an individual basis—working one-on-one on assignments and getting to know them better. Every semester, we schedule them, and then we wait for students to come to see us.
Why Go to Office Hours
- Clarify assignments: Though professors try to be clear on assignment instructions, sometimes you may want clarification. Office hours give you the opportunity to review the instructions (with the person who wrote them).
- Review assignments: This review can be for upcoming assignments or for assignments that you’ve already submitted. In our course, office hours are an opportunity for you to develop your writing. For example, during office hours, you can work on developing a paragraph, which will provide you with guidance on how to develop others.
- Gain a sense of how you’re doing in a course: You can discuss your grades and what you can work on going forward.
- Locate resources: Your professors are often an excellent source of information about resources that are available for students.
- Develop collegial relationships: Attending office hours is a great way to develop relationships with your instructors so that you can ask for recommendations for scholarships, academic programs, and graduate school.
Hopefully, this review helps to clarify office hours in a way that will encourage you attend. I look forward to seeing you during office hours!
