200-point midterms. 3-hour-long labs. 20-page papers. 40-minute speeches. For many students who are new to De Anza, college-level classes can seem intimidating, even overwhelming. Sometimes, the book-length syllabi prefacing courses are what make new students’ hearts drop into their stomachs. But more often, discouragement comes from the glaring, bespectacled eyes of their new instructors.

Upon discovering that your history professor has a Ph.D. and doesn’t coach the football team part-time, you may be tempted to forfeit right from the start. You feel like making a beeline directly to the back of the classroom, hiding your head under your hoodie, and passing the rest of the quarter in a state of sweet apathy.

Don’t.

In the professional world, who you know is often just as important as what you know, and in academia the same rules apply. It’s easy to see the instructor-student relationship as completely functionary, even adversarial. But if you want to make your transition to college 10 times easier, learn to get instructors on your side.

The first step is actually rather simple: realize that instructors are human. Just like you wouldn’t enjoy standing up and speaking in front of an audience that’s not listening, they wouldn’t either. Instructors appreciate interest. The names of students who ask questions and participate are more likely to stay in their minds.

Second, instructors appreciate serious students. In college, this means turning in all your assignments on time, attending every class meeting, and always being prepared to work.

This is often a difficult adjustment, but even if you mess up a little, there’s an easy way to show the instructor that you’re not there to waste their time: always sit in the front of the class. This will also help you concentrate. Too embarrassed? Just think of how embarrassing it will be to withdraw from the class in the eighth week because you know you’re going to fail.

You don’t have to be a straight A student to earn an instructor’s respect. In fact, having difficulty with a subject can often work in your favor. You should always attend at least a few of the office hours provided by your instructors during the quarter. Asking instructors for help will immediately invest them in your success.

Some instructors have quirks that you can use to your advantage. Take the time to learn these – they’re invaluable when it comes to developing rapport. One professor at De Anza appears to grade papers entirely according to length. Another professor loves strawberry cheesecake.

Above all, make sure you take advantage of the opportunities offered by the De Anza faculty. In a few years, you may find yourself at a university where the professors pass on their teaching responsibilities to assistants, where few professors know their students’ names, and some hold office hours at 2 a.m. because they know students won’t show up.

De Anza instructors are, for the most part, very knowledgeable and professional. But more importantly, they want to teach. Come ready to learn, and they’ll meet you halfway.