Opinion: Your Professor isn’t out to get You

By Jasey Green

Most professors want to hear from students and - as scary as asking for help might seem - an open line of communication between teacher and student is better than a failing grade.

Finals can be rough. They’re smack-dab in the middle of the holiday season and come at the end of a long semester for some and a never-ending semester for others. Students have Christmas shopping to do and exams and papers on which to procrastinate and - for most students - that’s just the beginning of the trouble.

Carving out time to write a desperate email to a professor or visit in person can be scary. It is easy to feel like one is exposing ignorance and confusion to ridicule. The crossroad presents itself – students must decide if the unlikely possibility of a scornful professor is worse than the real possibility of an undesirable grade.

This is an extreme example, but students at Sauk Valley Community College don’t reach out to professors nearly as often as might be expected.

When asked about student visitation and questions outside of office hours, many professors indicated that very few of their students proactively seek help with difficult materials.

Associate Professor of Business, Emily Zimmerman responded: “...I've had one student see me all semester during my office hours this entire semester. I sometimes will receive an email asking me to clarify an assignment or see if they're on the right track.”

SVCC’s Assistant Professor of Accounting Geoffrey Lemay noted: “I find that many students wait until it is too late. I’m not sure why they do this. I would rather answer questions than give low grades… I sit in my office hours, and no one shows up. Usually, if I get questions about the essays, they are emailed 8-12 hours before the essay is due.”

Most responses followed a similar theme. Student reluctance to reach out could be due to prickly-seeming teachers, self-consciousness, or unawareness that asking for help is an option. Most professors don’t discourage questions or pleas for help: in fact, they welcome them. When in doubt, students shouldn’t hesitate to ask the professor – it’s better for everyone.

Struggling students are unlikely to face scorn from professors. After all, professors once had their own classes and finals to stress about. Brant Clements (Professor of Philosophy at SVCC) referred to his own college days when asked about personal tips for self-care:  “When I was in college, I rented an apartment. During finals week, I had set times for anyone who wanted to come and study quietly. I always had coffee and fresh donuts for my friends. It was a valuable practice for me. It meant that I would spend that time in my apartment studying.” 

Professor Clements, along with other SVCC professors, also recommended setting aside time to do something besides studying. In addition to seeking help with assignments, professors advise that students plan ahead to avoid procrastination, break big assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks, and take time to themselves. SVCC’s Professor of Psychology Amy Jakobsen recommends that students “Get plenty of rest, participate in fun leisure activities, and strive for variety in work/school responsibilities” to stave off burnout.

College classes can turn into something that’s all-consuming, but they don’t have to. Students could read a book, take a nap, or watch (notbinge!) their favorite show. Even chatting with family and friends about the school workload could help students retain class materials and lower intimidation from the sheer number of assignments during finals.

If approaching a professor is still uncomfortable, it’s not the end of the world. The SVCC Learning Commons has many resources and tutors available and is willing to help struggling students. SVCC is set on the success of those that want to learn. 

Finals may not be something that one can navigate without weeping and gnashing of teeth, but acing - or simply passing -  classes may be just a few emails away.