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Your first year at college - what a daunting experience! You've been told it's not like high school, but now you're beginning to understand exactly what that means. No ringing bells to signal the start and end of class, no taking roll every period, and no one to remind you to read the book and keep up with your studies. Now you have to get yourself up in the morning and off to class, sit and listen to the professor lecture, then go and read the textbook to try to make sense of whatever it was that the professor said.

Surely, for the tuition you're paying, you can expect more out of your professor than just a talking head at the front of the class!

In fact, there's a lot more that you can get from your professor if you're willing to speak up on your own behalf. Your relationship with your professors can make the difference between acing the class and just squeaking by.

WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG, BAD PROFESSOR?
New students are often intimidated by their professors, especially if the student is just one out of a vast sea of faces in a large lecture section. True, some professors are more approachable than others, but it's in your best interests to overcome your intimidation and work up the courage to talk to your professor every now and then. If the professor knows who you are and knows you're interested in the class, she'll often be willing to extend more help when you need it. Make a point to talk to your professor early in the term just to chat about the class. You'll get a better sense of her expectations, and may pick up some useful tips.

Want to get to know your professor even better? Use your school's website to find out more. What is her area of expertise? What are her research interests? How about her personal interests? Strike up a conversation with your professor to learn more about her interests. You never know - she may be your lead to a job, a scholarship, or other opportunity you never knew about.

One thing to bear in mind, though, is that professors are busy people and may not always be ready to chat. Some professors come dashing from lunch or another class and have only a few moments to get class ready. It's not a good idea to try to talk to the professor about the term paper while he's struggling to get the computer projector up and running or is writing notes on the board. Likewise if the professor is busy cleaning up because there's another class coming in, it's not an opportune time to ask about your grade. It might be an opportune time to grab an

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