What if it’s a stupid question? What if it’s something that’s already been covered? What if I ask my question, and it’s so stupid that everyone around me laughs?
These are thoughts that I, and many others (and probably you, if you’re reading this ;)) have had during lectures. I will say, though, that you can get by just fine in your classes without asking any questions, or even interacting with the professor at all (not that I recommend doing this). However, asking questions, and therefore asking the right questions, can bring many benefits to you: you develop an interest in what you’re learning, you’re more attentive to your professor, and you generally learn quicker and more effectively. And before you read my tips, just remember – the only stupid questions are ones that have already been asked, and you weren’t paying attention.
Don’t sit in the back
I won’t tell you to sit at the very front (because I never do), but if you’re planning on engaging with the lecture at all, then it’s a bad idea to sit in the back. To state the obvious, there’s no one behind you if you’re sitting in the back of the lecture room, and therefore no one to hold you accountable. There’s no one to tell you to be quiet, or put away your laptop because you’re distracting people, or show you how to be a good student and listen to the lecture. If you’re in the back, there’s a big chance that you’ll zone out and start reading random Wikipedia articles (ehem, totally didn’t happen to me today). Worse, if you’re with your friends – you’re probably going to get distracted, because the back of the class creates this sort of feedback loop where everyone there isn’t paying attention, so you just give up and join them.
Get in the right mindset
Before class, try to think about why you’re there in the first place, and that you want to learn more, and that you want to pay attention, rather than the usual, “I’m so tired,” or “I wish I were in bed.” The right mindset is extremely important not just in class, but in everything that you do.
Take notes before or after class
My general tip is not to take notes during class. You’re taking away your attention from the professor and the lecture to your notes, which can be done after class anyway. If you want to be active and ask questions, you should give the class your full, undivided attention, and if you’re hurrying up to scribble everything you see on the board, then you care more about your notes than what you’re trying to learn.
Go through the slides before class
Similar to the previous tip, going through the slides before going to class will take away any surprises the lecture might have (unless the professor has changed their slides for some reason, or doesn’t upload them in advance in the first place). You know what to expect, you know what slides contain what, and you can formulate any questions that appear in your mind as you’re going through the slides in your own time. This tip sounds perfect in practice, but I’m sad to say that I’ve only ever done this once or twice in the entire time I’ve studied, to varying effect.
Ask your questions during the break
Every lecture has either a 10 or 15-minute break in the middle of the period, which some students will take as a time to stretch, relax, or go for some coffee or snacks. If you have a burning question that you want to ask but don’t want the staring eyes of what might feel like a hundred students on you, then this is the perfect time to go up to your professor. They are probably also just relaxing, and you can ask them whatever questions you have about their content. If you’re afraid of doing this for whatever reason, then fear not – from my experience, professors welcome this time to answer questions. They were students once, after all, and know all about the anxiety that can creep over you during lectures.
Ask questions you already know the answer to
One thing that has helped me is to do this very simple thing: speak up and ask questions about things that you already know the answer to. It’s worth seeing the look on your professors’ faces when they realise that someone else is taking initiative and engaging in their classes. They’ll be grateful that they’re not the only ones interested in their class, even if you stumble over your own words sometimes. Professors really do notice those who participate.
Just ask
When it comes down to it, there’s really nothing else you can do but just stomp the anxiety under your foot and ask the question. You’re the one who needs the answer, after all, and it’s better to ask the question while the topic is being talked about rather than after. There’s no secret formula, no secret method to gaining the confidence to ask your questions – you have to ask questions because you want to know the answer, and because you’re interested in the class itself.
This article is less about asking the right questions and more about how to start asking questions in the first place. Like I said, there aren’t really any wrong questions, just questions that have already been asked and you weren’t paying attention. So the next time you feel as though you’re going to get laughed at for asking a question, just remember that you’re doing this for your own good, and who knows – maybe you did someone a favour and saved them from anxiety of their own by asking that question.
