Since finals are creeping up around the corner, I have begun to reflect on my final semester as a sophomore at UT. Another chapter of 8 a.m. classes to then leave and run straight to work, all while somehow getting in a power nap, has closed, and I can say that it is truly bittersweet. As another chapter has closed, with two more to live out, I have reflected on the influence of my professors this year and the genuine appreciation I have grown for them and the school.
I was once told that making friends with your professors was one of the most important things you can do in college. The reasoning? You can put a face with the name.
For a professor, keeping track of sometimes hundreds of students, their work, exams, etc., seems impossible. If you are just another name on a screen, it can be easy to be accounted for but not reach your full potential. How are you supposed to do well if the person responsible for your success has no idea who you really are?
This year, I made a vow to myself to break this norm of only knowing my teachers superficially. In high school, it is easy to become closer to teachers, as they are much more accessible to students in a smaller and more intimate setting. I got pretty close with my teachers in high school, but I could not say the same for my college career at UT. I made the mistake of being just another name on a screen or face in a lecture during my first year in college, and the results showed it. I was not going to make this mistake twice, so the effort really had to be made.
Instead of just joining the mandatory Zoom calls, submitting mediocre work and never putting in extra effort, I got to know my professors, and they got to know me. For example, if I did not communicate back and forth about a late project, how were my professors supposed to know that I was working late and literally fell asleep in my work clothes? Exactly, they wouldn’t. And when they did, I was given grace.
As someone with chronic ADHD, I have had this assumption for most of my life that teachers were my enemies and that they just wanted to make my life harder. Not only is this assumption wrong, but, in reality, the opposite is true.
Our professors are on our side.
This concept was something I was actually delighted to experience. After practicing communication and emailing my professors, informing them of my busy schedule, trying to balance a social life, a job, Greek life, writing and then some, I was pleased to know that they were so much more willing to work with me on deadlines. In return, my grades improved significantly.
Not only did my grades improve, but the stigma surrounding school being evil was proven wrong. I never thought I would actually like going to class, but now that I was interested in the material being taught, I was engaged in class. I cared more. I guess it is safe to say that when your professors show that they care for you, it is easier to care about their class in return.
While having some serious relationship therapy with school this year, I think it is important to remember that our professors are people, too. If your professor can match your work or emails with your face and overall character, they are much more willing to hear you out.
If you have never been, try going to office hours — we all see the times posted on the syllabus. Up until now, office hours were a mere suggestion to me. Introduce yourself and get some extra help. If a professor sees you actively trying, they will cut you much more slack.
I am grateful to have been cared for and listened to by my professors at UT this year and cannot wait to see more improvement this fall.
Ansley Graves is a sophomore at UT this year studying business. She can be reached at [email protected].
Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
