Throughout our years in college we will encounter many different types of professors. Some will be motivating. Some will be boring and will literally put us to sleep. Some will be funny and some will simply be bad at teaching. These were just to name a few but there are many more types of professors. Regardless of the type of professors we end up having to take, we must make an effort to personally introduce ourselves to them.

Why get to know the Professor?
There are many benefits to getting to know the professor. See below for 3 examples.

• Hook me up! – Well, not with the professor, silly. Professors can be a good source for an on-campus job, internships or co-op, or even research opportunities. So, getting to know the professor may help us with the lead to getting that hook up.
• Call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me! – Professors can write that letter of recommendation we need for either an internship, job or graduate school. So, getting to know the professor will make it easier to ask for that recommendation letter. It will make it easier for the professor to write the letter for us as well.
• Say what? – We can follow up with the professor and get clarity from lectures and class discussions as well as get questions answered for upcoming exams! When we create a positive impression, our professor will more likely to assist us with our questions.

How to get to know the professor?
It’s quite simple. Money talks. Put a few hundred-dollar bills (the more the better!) in an envelope. Wait for the right moment and approach the professor when he or she is alone and gently smile and give the professor the envelope and slowly wink and walk away. PLEASE DON’T TRY THAT! See below for 3 actual examples.

• Front row VIP seats! – Let’s sit in the front row close to the Professor. When we do that we are more likely to participate in class discussions. Doing so also increases our visibility and shows the Professor that we are present and willing to contribute.

• Put in that Two Cents! – Let’s not be shy and participate in class discussions. Whether we share our comments or simply ask thoughtful questions is a good way to show the professor that we want to learn and are interested in the topic of discussion.

• Happy Hour! – Let’s visit the professor during their office hours on a weekly basis. This is a great opportunity to building a personal relationship with the professor. It’s a good way to build on class discussions and get advice on improving our grades. These visits can also adds value as it allows us pick on the professor’s brain on why they chose the field they are in, their likes and dislikes, including their career advice.