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As a double major student, it can be tricky to navigate what direction to pursue in internships. There are a variety of communication internships to pursue, from marketing to public relations journalism and everything in between. But when I added philosophy to my path, those opportunities changed. Instead of being able to apply to a variety of internships over the summer with a plethora of opportunities, there was almost nothing with a focus on philosophy. I was worried that I was going to graduate and somehow be left behind from my peers.

But after long discussions with my professors and mentors to figure out what I should be doing with my two degrees, I discovered that there were opportunities for me that weren’t internships, one being diversity summits in fields like philosophy across the humanities and sciences. These summits were geared towards students who came from underrepresented backgrounds, and graduate programs in the humanities, and offered things that you wouldn’t normally see in an internship.

Normally, internships offer money or credit for a specific amount of time and allow you to learn specific on-the-job skills that’ll help you in the job market, or possibly lead you to a job in that company. However, these summits pay a stipend and cover your travel to spend a week or two at a prestigious research university. Instead of working in the traditional sense, participants complete research in their field and get to meet with specific professors and researchers in the field to discover what it would be like to pursue philosophy after earning a bachelor’s degree.

It was during these programs that I discovered a community in my major that I didn’t know existed, and I also learned what was available to me postgrad. The most valuable lesson I learned at the summit was to look beyond what everyone else is doing. I was so caught up in the fact that my friends had got internships with publishing companies and large event venues that I was worried I was getting left behind. But when I looked beyond what was the normal career path, I discovered there was so much more available to me.

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Professors can often seem unapproachable. Oftentimes they are experts in their field, usually with a doctorate. So, as a college student, it seems that you have nothing to talk about, but you want to learn everything you possibly can from them. Also, if they’re teaching in your major, you want to learn more about what they have to say, and possibly develop a relationship with them post-grad to help you in your professional life.

As someone who has developed several positive relationships with professors, here are some of the best tips I have on how to develop and keep a collegial relationship with your professors.

1. Be a Good Student

This might seem like a given, but it’s my number one tip. It’s really hard to get a professor to take you seriously if you’re not taking their class seriously. Most professors are teaching 2 to 3 classes so there are a lot of students for them to meet and get to know over the course of a semester. Also, class participation is a great way to start off a conversation with a professor. Asking questions about course material or connecting something you saw outside of class with course material is a really great way to start having regular conversations with your professor. Students need to consistently show up, engage, and stand out instead of being those who miss class, sit in the back, or don’t participate.

2. Do Your Research

Your professor has to do research in their field in order to get a doctorate degree. You can look up your professor's name and find out what they did in their research. This might help you either figure out if this is a professor you want to pursue a relationship with or give you a jumping-off point to start a conversation. This is also a great way to show a professor that you’re invested in getting to know them because you took the time out of your personal life to do some research about who they are as a person. Additionally, people pick their research topics based on something they’re interested in, so this is going to be something they’re already going to want to talk to you about.

3. Professors are People, Too

Now that you started developing this relationship with your professor by talking about things related to academia, you can also start talking about things that aren’t necessarily related to academia. Talk about their weekend plans, their break plans, and ask them about their family if that’s something they share in class. Most of the time professors share pieces of their personal life in class and those are usually things they’re comfortable with sharing so you can bring it up in conversation if it’s something you want to know more about. For example, I have a professor who is from a country outside of the US, so we talked a lot about her time there. When she travels, it's something we can connect with outside of our academic connection.

4. Be Respectful

When you’re scheduling time with your professor, respect that time. They have multiple classes and have lives outside of being a professor. If they’re making time for you, you must respect that. Show up on time and make the most of that time that you have together outside of the classroom.

5. Stay in Touch

You know once you’ve developed a relationship with your professor whether or not they’re going to continue it with you outside of your university post-grad. A lot of times they’ll give you their personal email or phone number and it can seem really daunting about how to approach those conversations outside of your university. The best approach is to keep in touch every 3 to 6 months with a little update about what you’re doing related to whatever field that professor is in. Also check on who they are as a person and see what they’re up to.

All in all, developing a relationship with your professor is exactly the same as developing a relationship with any person; it takes time, care, and respect. But remember, it’s never impossible.

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Exciting travel opportunities can be available to college students through conferences, competitions, class trips, or leisure travel. Traveling during the semester can seem impossible without getting behind in assignments, class meetings, and projects. As a college student who averages one trip a semester here are some of my best tips to plan a trip and stay on top of your classwork.

Plan Out All of Your Assignments

Go through all of your assigned work for your course at least two weeks before your trip. This should include any work due before, during, and after your trip. Once you have a list of assignments due you can now complete any assignments that are due ahead of time and start on any large projects.

Meet With Your Professors

I have always found that communicating with your professors about a trip beforehand (at least two weeks) helps balance out coursework. In my experience, an office hour meeting about your upcoming trip can lead to due dates being moved back and some in-class assignments waived. Professors are also more willing to work with you before due dates and your trip rather than after. Additionally, in these meetings, you want to alert your professors to any absences that may occur over the course of your trip. I also recommend giving yourself a buffer of the day before and after your trip to prepare and recuperate.

Build Relationships with Classmates

As all college students know at the beginning of the semester the professor will recommend that you gather your classmates' contact information. Foster a relationship with these classmates and they will often share any lecture notes from the days that you miss. I recommend telling your classmates in advance and having two contacts per class in case someone has to miss class. This is a lifesaver.

These are my three best tips for traveling as a college student. I’ve followed all of these steps throughout my college career, and I have never hit any snags. I hope these tips help you out too! Enjoy your trip!

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ÃÛÌÒapp Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –ÌýÌýto pitch your idea and get started!