Showing Appreciation for Your Professors

I can’t speak for all professors, but I can only assume they have dreaded an online school year just as much as I have. But as a professional, he or she has tried keeping class uplifting and as normal as possible!

Showing appreciation doesn’t mean you have to give physical items like gift cards, coffee mugs, or candles. With holiday breaks quickly approaching, it’s easy to lose motivation, easy to skip a class, and especially easy to make silly mistakes on assignments. All of which can be disheartening to a professor. So how should you show your appreciation (even when classes are online)? I have a couple of things in mind.

Join in on the class discussion. Whether you attend class in person or online–speak up! I understand some professors strictly lecture and call it a day. Do it for the professor who enjoys engaging and hearing from students; it’ll make his or her day. On the plus side, you may even understand the material better.

If you have any questions that relate mostly to you, visit office hours, or send your professor an email! Office hours are great for questions about assignments, connecting, and conversation. If you get done an assignment early, some professors may briefly review it. Some may even suggest some ideas to make it better. But be mindful of your professor’s time: he or she may be helping another student. I'm sure your professor would appreciate your enthusiasm and interest in the class!

Professors are great for connecting with. It's interesting to learn about their academic and work experience; Most professors are happy to discover more about you, too! An article on Forbes mentioned that relationships with professors are important for internships and work experience. Your professor may be the reason you score a job or inspire you to take on grad school (which happened to me). I assume there is nothing more rewarding than watching a student grow into their career path!

Little instances like saying hi before class starts (and thank you when it ends) are nice to hear! You never know what kind of a day your professor is having. It might set a positive tone for the class as well as end class on a good note!

Sometimes we don’t always get the grades we want. It’s one thing if your professor made a genuine mistake grading. But don’t blame them for your silly mistakes. Your professor may have dedicated a whole weekend to grade over 100 assignments; He or she may have wanted to give them back in a timely fashion–so be nice. Professors are humans, too!

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