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But I Love My Email Address
March 31, 2010
Everyone uses email in college. You will use your addy to stay in touch with family and friends. You will email your professors and most likely, they will email you too. It has become so popular that many professors even use email to forward coursework and send updates to students.
Most likely, your school will provide you with an email using your first and last name. Not all schools require that you use it. In some cases, it can be set up to forward to your personal email. If your professor asks for an email to contact students, he or she may allow you to provide any email that you wish. If that is the case make sure your email is appropriate. You may love your nickname or unique email address, but you do not want to be judged by it. What do you think your professor will think about you when he or she sees Crazywildgirl@email.com or Jasonthe Killer@email.com on your contact sheet? Ok, maybe it does describe you or your favorite movie. But it just isn’t a good idea to be remembered by your crazy email or worse, one that includes curse words, slang or nasty language. Believe me, they will remember you and your email addy.
Early Is On Time
March 5, 2010
A friend of mine always tells his employees, “Early is on time and on time is late.” If you know the rest of the saying, then you know that late is unacceptable. I totally agree. Of course we need to be 15 minutes early for job interviews, early to pick up a friend so they don’t have to wait and early for an event so we can get a seat. School should be included on the “arrive early list.” Unlike a party, it is not good to arrive fashionably late for class. In fact is a detriment. Think about what your late arrival is saying about your dedication to school. Some professors take it personally. I have even had a few that closed the door and made you come up to the front of the class and complete a sheet with your name and tardy arrival time. Embarrassing! Some won’t even let you in after the five minute mark. Might as well have stayed in bed. Now, think about what it means if you are in class with your notes out and pen ready before your peers. In addition to gaining a few brownie points, you may also gain a few opportunities. I have found that the top students tend to arrive earlier than the failing ones. They are definitely the students you want to join for a study group. Many professors arrive very early so you will have an opportunity to ask questions, chat and start (or develop) a relationship. Some of the most interesting things go on before or after class.
Texting A College Paper
March 5, 2010
We all love to TXT! There is nothing like texting lingo is there? I just did a quick search and found tons of lingo/abbreviation dictionaries online. Some have almost two thousand words/expressions! Texting has made communication much more efficient. But herein lies the problem: texting has made its way into high schools and colleges and instructors don’t like it one bit. It is a great way to get yourself a big fat “F.”
Texting lingo is not correct grammar so you must not, under any circumstances, use a single text message abbreviation in your class work. I mean, do you really believe that your professor knows all those abbreviations anyway? Your paper will be impossible to read and there is a good chance your professor will not be very happy with you.
But hey, if a little lingo does find its way into your research paper, you will catch it when you proofread, right? If not, that is another great reason to proof your work.
Why Proofread When I Have a Spell Checker
March 5, 2010
I us a program with a sell checker. Why could I need to proof red anything? Ok, do you get my point? Yes, your spell check program will check your spelling, but there is no guarantees that you choose the correct to, too or two when rushing to complete a paper. Even grammar checkers are not always correct, especially for more complex writing or writing that includes terminology for a specific field. Sometimes typos (e.g. word “sell” in the 1st sentence above) are actual words, just not the ones you want. In that case, the spell checker will NOT alert you because no words were misspelled.
Always proofread your papers several times. Don’t let your ego tell you otherwise. Professionals proofread many times and even have others check their work. Have a dictionary and thesaurus available. They are online for free. If you can, read out loud to yourself or others. I find that to be the best way to catch mistakes.
Always proofread, no matter what. It just doesn’t make sense to lose points or even a whole grade because a few sentences look as though they were written by a 5 year old.
My Professor Hates Me!
March 5, 2010
So, your professor is mean and he hates you. He never calls on you unless you don’t know the answer. When you ask a question, he seems cold. Even though your professor is nothing like that kind and loving kindergarten teacher you had many years ago, take a moment to think before you jump to conclusions. First, ask yourself if your professor’s actions are really aimed at you. Or is it that he or she just doesn’t have a warm personality. Not everyone is a big ball of fun. Sometimes people who want you to do well seem to lead with an iron fist. We used to call it “tough love.”
Also, notice how your professor communicates with others on the same days he or she seems to be mean to you. You just might find that your professor is having a bad week (or month or semester). They are human and go through family problems, divorces, etc.
Also, consider this: maybe you have you offended your professor in some way. Although skipping class, leaving after the break, crunching Doritos or walking in after the lecture has begun seem like little things, they can be very offensive and demonstrate to your professor that you do not give a crap about the class. Look at your mannerisms, attitude and even your dress. If you are passing notes and talking in class, you are sending the wrong kind of message. Wearing an offensive tee shirt also won’t help the situation. Neither will mispronouncing your professor’s name every day. Don’t forget about academics. Turning in garbage completed at the last minute is another sign that you don’t care. Believe me, they know.
If you just aren’t sure what is going on, ask a few close friends who will be honest with you. A friend of mine had a really negative relationship with a professor. I always thought he was fair and was always willing to help his students. In fact, the professor did something nice for me and I remember writing him a thank you note. Years later, that card was still posted up in his office. One day my friend told me about their poor relationship. After asking her several questions, I figured it all out. She told me that she had missed class a few weeks ago and when she arrived for the next class, she found that the professor had placed the class notes at her seat. He did her a favor so she could not understand why he was acting so differently now. I asked her if she thanked him before class or during the break. “Nope.” I asked her if she thanked him later or gave him a little thank-you note to let him know you got the notes. “Nope.” That was the problem. The professor was really old fashioned. He was old enough to be my grandfather (this was graduate school) and expected students to follow the rules of etiquette. She did not and their relationship suffered because of it.
If you find that your relationship with your professor headed downhill, do something immediately. We all have problems and if you have been late because of a problem at work or home, let your professor know. He or she may not be sympathetic, but at least it won’t look like you decided to hang out at the lounge instead of arriving on time. Stop any offending behavior. Meet with your professor during his or her office hours or schedule an appointment. You should be doing this anyway. Discuss the class topics or ask questions about the material. Make sure you read BEFORE your meeting. Let our actions demonstrate that you are serious about the class and doing well. Sit in the front. You should be doing that anyway, too. Provide as many opportunities as possible for your professor to get to know you. I cannot guarantee that you can mend a broken relationship or even get your professor to see how special you are, but at the very least if you do your best, your professor will know.
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