10 ways to annoy a college professor (and lose a reference)

After all, these educators would never help you expand your knowledge, secure a job, write recommendation letters, or become lifetime mentors, would they?

Here are some ways to ensure your professor will remember you—not so fondly:

1. Text in class. Do you really think we don’t notice you clicking away. Unless you are a surgeon awaiting a call to surgery, for these two hours you are paying to learn something, perhaps you can shut off your phone.

2. Arrive late for class and then ask questions about topics discussed before you arrived. Please anticipate traffic or parking issues, and build in extra time to get to class. If you had a plane to catch, a red carpet event to attend, or a business deadline, would you be late? If yes, then PR is not the industry for you.

3. Skip class and arrive the following session asking, “Did I miss anything?” No, of course you didn’t. We stared at the wall and contemplated why you decided not to show up.

4. Pretend to take notes on your laptop, but really be updating your Facebook profile. Yes, we can tell when you are listening and taking notes—and we know when you are surfing the Web.