Let’s be honest, talking to professors can be extremely intimidating! Especially since the only time we really see them is when they’re casually giving a speech to hundreds of students… No biggie! While doing so, they never stutter in their analysis of so and so, and they never forget how to prove that obscure equation.
For all we know, our professors are sophisticated robots who know everything about everything, and that’s why they don’t make mistakes. Perhaps the university maintenance staff plug the Profs into computers at night, where they download infinite amounts of information from academic databases.
At least this is the image I had in my brain when I could no longer postpone going to see my Computer Science Prof about an issue I was having with the homework. I could just imagine him saying,
“Well Hanna, that question is just too dumb to be explained. Please switch out of this course or better, abandon your academic pursuits all together.”
I know this was silly of me to imagine, but imagine I did.
Instead, during my meeting with the professor, he not only explained my question, but took half an hour out of his important-professor life to chat with me about waterproof backpacks, females as computer science teachers, and morning commutes to university.
If I hadn’t started to feel bad about wasting his time, I’m sure the conversation would have even moved to hamsters, Starbucks, and something even more random.
In conclusion, professors don’t bite! They’re actually very willing, not only to help with your coursework, but also to help you with the transition into university.
So don’t be afraid. Go talk to one of your Profs if you already haven’t, and then tell me how it went in the comments.
P.S. I give you full permission to be very angry with me if your Prof actually bites you.
Hanna Y 