As a humble College of Media student who came from a high school in the middle of a cornfield, I’m used to smaller class sizes. There’s really nothing like dodging an instructor’s gaze for 50 minutes, avoiding answering questions among 20-some other students.

If you’re going to be a good student, however, don’t follow my example. The great thing about small lectures is that your instructor can almost always answer any questions during and after lecture. And he or she will recognize you. You won’t have that same luxury in a larger lecture when you are among 300 other students stuffed into Foellinger Auditorium, fiendishly collecting your i>Clicker points. 

So, how do you make a big lecture feel small?

 At a University this large, it’s pretty much a given that you will end up in a few big lectures. Here are a few tips to make them feel smaller.

Sit up front

Facial recognition is the first step here. Once your instructor can associate a face with a name, it could help your grade in the course — assuming that you’re attentive in lecture. It’s probably not a great idea to sit in the front row browsing Facebook and playing Candy Crush. Do people still play Candy Crush?

You want to sit so close to your professor that you can feel his or her esteemed flecks of spittle hitting you in the face. Wash. Rinse. Repeat for the next lecture.

Before long, Professor Brainiac will remember your face, and maybe even your name. Congratulations, you’re in — or at least you’re getting there.

Office hours

Office hours will also help your instructor remember your name and face. Office hours will also give you one-on-one time with your instructor that you wouldn’t otherwise have in such a big lecture. 

Instructors like to know that students do care about course content beyond the grade they will receive, so I would definitely recommend showing interest in content beyond the scope of the course in addition to shoring up your knowledge of things that will be covered on exams. No one likes a grade-grubbing trick pony.  

Making friends

This is definitely the key to making a big lecture feel small. In a small lecture, you have little choice as to who to buddy up with. In a big lecture, you will have more people to choose from. Meet people early on in the semester to find other students whom you can study and work with. It’s also very nice to have someone who can give you notes from any lectures you miss. Just remember that it’s a two-way street, and you may be expected to help your new friends out with notes from lectures they’ve missed. Beyond the classwork itself, it’s always nice to meet new people, and who knows — you could just meet a lifelong friend.

Tyler is a junior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter

@TylerAllynDavis.