DISCLAIMER:
We are not professionals. We are students looking to help fellow students in their time of need. Sometimes we will both work together on a question, or split the questions amongst ourselves.
Submit questions to [email protected]. Submissions must be less than 200 words. All questions will be posted as anonymous unless specified otherwise.
Dear Jack and Jade,
I’m always too shy to raise my hand in class or participate in discussions. I’m worried about my participation grade, but I don’t know how to get myself to talk. Help!!
– Shy Student
Dear Shy Student,
I understand how you feel, as I was once like you. I used to just go to class, do the assignments, and that was it. I knew it would affect my overall grade, but somehow I was too afraid to speak up in class. One of the reasons was that I was afraid of saying the wrong thing. It is O.K. to not know the answer all the time. It is better to make mistakes in class where you have the opportunity of being corrected by your peers or professor, than on an assignment or exam.
Not participating in class could be the difference between an A minus and a solid A. If you are like me, I hate A-minuses and wish professors would just give us A’s instead! What helped me overcome some of my fear of participating in class was speaking to one of my professors. Your professors were once students, so they understand why some students fear participating in class.
Do not let fear keep you from participating in class. You should try talking to a professor of your liking or your advisor to see if they can help you in anyway. I would recommend visiting your professors’ office hours, which will show that you are participating and putting in effort to understand the material.
PS. seize the opportunity now, do not wait until the end of the semester to start participating!
Good luck,
Jack and Jade
Dear Jack and Jade,
I’m a new student here at UMass Boston and don’t know how to start meeting people besides my roommates. Do you guys have any advice?
Sincerely,
New Kid
Dear New Kid,
It’s great that you are interested in meeting new people and making new connections. College is one of those places where it is really beneficial to do so. After all, you never know who you are making connections with.
You can meet new people by joining a club or two of your liking. That is a good way to meet people who share similar passions such as you. You can also make conversation with your classmates. I’m sure they are friendly people. Some of them are just a bit shy.
Check out the Game Room or the club booths when the student organizations are being showcased. Even just introducing yourself to other students on the T or around campus is enough to start forming new relationships—that has actually been our favorite part of UMass Boston thus far. Put yourself out there!
Best of luck,
Jack and Jade