Slumping Junior

I'm a first-semester junior. Though I've declared my concentration, I feel as though I don't know any professors in the department very well.  My close friends are concentrating in other areas; they all have found their passion and seem really focused and engaged, and I'm not. I feel like I've been doing it all wrong.  

Signed, Slumping Junior

Sara Ariel Wong for NPR

Try not to compare your learning process with others. Identifying that you want to build these relationships with professors is a great first step to making it happen.

Go back and look at your concentration declaration; think back to why you chose your concentration in the first place.  Was there a particular class or two that got you excited about the field? Look up the class professor's research profile, send them an email and ask to schedule an appointment to reintroduce yourself to them.  And/or, go to the "People" page of your concentration website, look through the list, and introduce yourself to someone new via email or by going to their office hours.

Come to office hours or the appointment with a couple questions in mind: What research have they been up to lately? What advice do they have for concentrators in the department? What new classes might be coming up next semester? If you find you connect with a professor on a certain subject, then that might be something on which you can continue building a relationship.

Some concentrations have a required thesis writing seminar for spring of junior year, so investigate if that is true for your concentration if you're even remotely thinking of doing a thesis.  Also, your concentration advisor can help you explore different opportunities for other types of in-depth work you can pursue during your upperclass years, and the steps you need to get there.

CRCer Yuna Hur '18 says:

I can definitely relate to this experience of not feeling like I had strong relationships with professors in my department(s), so know you are not the only one feeling this way! One thing that helped me was being able to take more seminars on topics that I was interested in throughout my junior year. Through participating during class and meeting with professors during office hours about discussed topics or any questions, I was able to get to know them better while also being able to share more about my academic interests.

What also helped me was attending DUG-organized events and departmental colloquiums/lectures. Many professors attend these, so it can be a great opportunity to introduce yourself to a professor in your department, or to reconnect with a professor you had taken a course with in a previous semester. Finally, don't be hesitant on reaching out to DUG leaders and other students in your concentration; they may be able to help in getting to know certain professors better! You can find DUG leaders for 56 concentrations listed in their thumbnail description in Focal Point.

(Yuna is double concentrating in Cognitive Science and Education Studies. She is one of the DUG/Theories in Action Co-Coordinators at the CRC this year.)