Because being a little fish in a big pond can be pretty intimidating.
There’s nothing like the feeling you get when you enter your 300-person lecture on the first day. It’s both exciting and petrifying at the same time. Worried about getting lost in the shuffle? Here are some pieces of advice on how to own that lecture hall.
- Sit Up Front.
- For me, I usually arrived right on time, or a couple minutes late, and by that time most of the seats were usually full, or I would have to crawl over people to find an open seat. On that note- get to class early, and sit up front. Personally, I’ve always found that being towards the front helps me focus more. It can also help your professor to recognize you, which is essential in a large lecture.
- Make a Friend… or Two or Three
- Being surrounded by a ton of other students in class can seem awkward, especially if you don’t know anyone else. Reach out and introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you- chances are they might be feeling just as overwhelmed. Besides, everyone can use a study buddy for exams or a person to get the notes from if you miss class. And on that note…
- Actually Show Up to Class
- College is exciting, because now you don’t have parents nagging you to wake up. This is both a blessing and a curse. It’s easy to hit snooze a few extra times, and sometimes all you want to do is stay in bed. However, don’t make sleeping through class a habit. Many large lectures rely on clickers or attendance points as a portion of your grade, and though it doesn’t seem like much, it can add up to hurt you in the end. What’s more, you don’t want to be “that kid” that is always asking classmates for notes that you missed.
- Get to Know your Instructors
- Your professors love what they do. That’s why they signed up to teach at the greatest university in the world (only a bit biased). They want you to succeed, and they also are more than willing to help you. Although it may seem weird or intimidating at first, go up to your professor after class and introduce yourself. Ask a few questions. Visit them in office hours. If your grades are on the fringe at the end of the semester, your professor might be willing to bump you up if they saw that you made and effort in and outside of the classroom.
- Another great resource in large lectures? Your T.A, or Teacher’s Assistant. These usually are graduate students, or older students that have done well in the class before. They are also required to hold weekly office hours, so they are more than able to help you, and for some people can seem less daunting than going to a professor’s office.
- Pay Attention
- If there are 300 other people in the lecture hall, the chances of your professor calling you out specifically are pretty slim. This can make the idea of zoning out or spending the entire class time on your phone or laptop pretty tempting. However, almost all classes have exams based primarily on the material covered in lecture, so the more time you spend on social media instead of taking notes, the more time you’ll have to spend cramming in the library when it comes time for your first exam. Put your phone on airplane mode, turn off your laptop, and reward yourself with twitter memes after class.
Personally, I have always thought large lectures to be one of the coolest and most enjoyable parts of going to a big school like Penn State. With the right mindset and a small step out of your comfort zone, you can easily get the most you possibly can out of your freshman class experience.
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