Today I met with Professor Nichols this morning around 8:30am for my real time chat. We had an in-depth conversation about my performance on my test and ways I can improve for the future. She began by asking me what my study habits were like. I said that I read the textbook and completed the textbook quizzes along with the PowerPoint notes. Professor Nichols then gave me strategies for how to study better. She then showed me my test and we went through each answer I got incorrect. Professor Nichols described the reasoning for why I possibly got that question wrong and helped me improve my strategies for future tests. She told me that instead of memorizing answers, I need to understand them and why they are the answer. Also, she gave me hints on how to correctly choose the right answer. Professor Nichols said, read in between the text because there is always a hint in the question. All of these tips are very helpful and I plan to use them on future tests both inside her class and future classes.

I feel that office visits are critical to the success of students because it keeps the student on track and focused in order to succeed. For example, if I was struggling in a class or received a bad grade on a test, I would want to form a relationship with my professor and talk to them during office hours to discuss any issues. I have heard from current students that going to office hours is very important and beneficial. Throughout my academic journey here at Penn State I plan to visit my professor’s office hours whenever I am struggling or in a need for advice.

Going into the office visit, I was nervous and skeptical to see what we were going to discuss regarding my test score and academic goals. I even saw several people from my class waiting to meet with the teacher which made me more relaxed since I knew she was going to be easy to talk to. During the visit I felt comfortable asking questions and was very open and outgoing. Going out of the meeting, I was happy and pleased with my experience and my results regarding our conversation. I am looking forward to going to more office hours and forming a relationship with my teachers.