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Welcome fellow Jumbo! You are probably wondering what it feels like to go for office hours in Tufts. After all, office hours didn’t really exist in high school. Here are a few pointers to orientate yourself on:

1.  Most, if not all, courses have office hours in some form. Be sure to use them!

Office Hours are a great way to catch up on reading material and anything you don’t understand from class. They’re also a great way to bond with professors and other students who are confused as well. Something that I always do before attending office hours is to read up on the material and write out the questions I have before I talk to the professor or teaching assistant so that I know what questions to ask and I’m able to get the answers I want from the office hours.

2. Use Office Hours to get to know professors!

This was mentioned in the previous point already, but use OHs to get to know your professors! Tufts has a bunch of professors who’ve done a ton of cool research. Depending on your course, you might find a professor that has done research in a field that you find really cool! (Bonus points if you ask them whether they’re open to taking new research assistants; it’s a sneaky but really cool way to get out of your comfort zone and learn something new!) It’s common for Tufts students to come into college wanting to do a particular major, and then switch to another after having discussed with some professors about their research experiences.

3.  The Professors (and TAs) are working with you to achieve your academic success

For those who haven’t been to Office Hours much, going to one may feel a little daunting. What questions do I ask? How do I reply to the TAs? What if I make a fool of myself? While these thoughts may be understandably concerning, let’s remember that TAs and Professors are human, and have been in your shoes before! They’ve likely faced that confusion and uncertainty that you’re feeling and they’re here to help. Don’t feel too concerned about where you’re at with the material, and focus on the potential benefits of coming out from OHs :) Feel free to bring a friend as well!

Office Hours are a great opportunity to get to know your professors, fellow students and catch up / get a head start on your course material! With a little preparation and courage, you’ll soon find yourself attending them and learning so much (both about yourself and the professor/TA) :)

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