Here are five tips for making a good first impression with your professor:

1. Attend the first class. While others may tell you that nothing important happens the first day, they are missing unaware that the most important things happen the first day. Learning about your professor’s background, expectations, and pet peeves is invaluable.
2. Arrive on time. Attending class is your job and you need to get to work on time. You wouldn’t show up late the first day of your job, would you?
3. Get yourself a fresh pad of paper and a pen and get ready for a fresh start. Be ready to take notes and to engage with your classmates about the topic. Volunteer to help the instructor set up the class (e.g., rearranging the desks, pulling down the projector screen, erasing the board).
4. Stay away from your phone. We know that you are feeling uncomfortable in a new class with people you don’t yet know. Texting during class is a sure way to irritate a professor.
5. Thank your teacher for the class. Just as you thank a host when you leave a party, acknowledge the effort that your professor has put into making the class worthwhile. At a minimum, say, “Thank you for a great class. I’ll see you next week.”