Advice for utilizing office hours when I have no real questions to ask

[u/dedolent]

How do you develop relationships with your professors when you don't really have any issues with the material? Do you ever talk to your professors about things that are unrelated, or only tangentially related, to the class material? Is it considered inappropriate to schedule office hours without some specific purpose in mind?

I regret not developing better relationships with my professors in undergrad and I don't want to repeat that mistake. But, like in undergrad, at the moment I'm just not feeling like I have any "excuse" to talk to them, and I don't want to waste their time by coming to them without some purpose.

If you think this is a stupid question please be nice about it, I'm just another neurotic 1L trying to make the most of my time here.

[u/AutoModerator]

As a reminder, this subreddit is not for any pre-law questions. For pre-law questions and help or if you'd like to ask a wider audience law school-related questions, please join us on our Discord Server

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/RoughThat5778]

One thing you should consider is why you want to develop the professional relationship. The why may give you something to talk about. For example, let's pretend your professor is an expert in healthcare law, and you may be interested in healthcare law or just law and health more broadly. Okay, go to talk to them about how they developed that expertise and what advice they may have someone with that interest. Just an example. There are myriad topics.

[u/RoughThat5778]

One other thing to consider: Are you sure that "you don't really have any issues with the material"? Maybe you don't, and that's great. But maybe you do and don't know it. So you could always meet with your professor to confirm you're understanding the material correctly.

[u/Unlikely-Ebb3946]

You’re not going to believe this, but just ask.

“Ask my professors how to ask them—“
“Yes”
“About how and what stuff to ask them about?”
“Yes.”

100% serious. (Shoutout to the autistic student who straight up said “I have trouble figuring out social cues and norms, so I’m just going to ask about the rules right now. Sorry. I’ve tried to not be like this.”)

Basically, it’s fine, if not encouraged, to use office hours to schmooze a bit for professional development and information gathering.

It’s best if there is a point; like you’re asking them something they know, are interested in talking about, and shows you’re taking their time seriously and not just trying to pal around. And don’t do it constantly: “Tim was always in my office” is a warning in an LOR.

[u/Frosty_Tea7891]

I’m having the same issue. I don’t have any good questions about the legal files either. Idk what we would talk about in office hours.

[u/whatsnext-2024]

as someone who just graduated and never really went to office hours, yall please know there are other ways to get to know your professors!

you can normally say a few words before or after class, talk to them in the hallways, go to lunch events where they’re speaking, ask them about their research, ask for a coffee chat about their career path, etc. etc.

i went to office hours (outside of required legal writing ones) maybe 5 times in all of law school? but i ended up being a TA, an RA for so many different professors & oddly became sort of friends with the dean just because i was interested in their work and consistently showed up to stuff. it’s also a great way to meet to professors you never have in class!

example: i ended up looking at switching jobs april of 3L (not recommended but worked for my situation!) & those professors went to bat for me big time to make it work not because i went to office hours, but just because we knew each other. (2 of them also found my wedding registry online & sent me a porch goose, but that’s irrelevant)

[u/Dull-Law3229]

You can just talk with them about law in general, legal careers, etc. You don't have to talk to them about class stuff.

[u/Potential-Ground3540 → u/Dull-Law3229]

Don't waste their time doing that. Ask general open ended questions about class. Frankly, if you are doing the work, you should have questions.

[u/NoMagazine4067 → u/Potential-Ground3540]

One caveat I would add is if the question is something relevant to their background. I had a pretty thorough discussion about clerkships with my LWR1 professor after class and then a similar conversation about my Con Law professor's participation in one of the ALI committees. But that should really only be asked (1) if you have a genuine interest and (2) if you can gauge based on the situation that asking those questions wouldn't take time away from people with class-related questions (i.e., are you the only one at office hours? Or are you near the end of the time and people are kind of just chitchatting?).

Of course, class questions always come first. Just adding that I think there is value in asking external questions, it just has to be done sensitive to how the conversation's progressing.

[u/DudaneoCarpacho → u/Potential-Ground3540]

Personally, I kept to office hours for class-related queations, and if I had other general career/legal/professional questions, I would request a separate appointment via email explaining what I would like to discuss with them. Never had a professor say no to that.

[u/jesme23]

I've been to two so far and I just sit and listen. The questions I do have come up, but I believe I benefit more by just listening more. I like to entertain thoughts and discussion that would normally detail a class, so that's the main reason I go. The other part of why I go is confirming how I am approaching my studies - something one of my TAs confirmed when answering another student's question. I feel bad about not having or intentionally asking questions, but I feeling like being there (for now) is enough.

[u/RoutineSad2633]

This is not something you should be doing. Office hours aren’t for building rapport with professors. You are taking up time that could be used by those with substantive questions about the class. Also, this will not serve you in any tangible way. Grading is blind. Professors don’t get you jobs.