Quiet in college class?

Question

I'm not one of those people who asks or answers a lot of questions in class. Part of it has to do with me being shy, and the other half is just not knowing what to say.

I never know what questions to ask, and my mind freezes when simples questions are asked. For example, "What is management?"

My mind blanks! It really makes me feel uneducated when this happens, and it is my junior year of college, so this problem has not gotten any better with time.

Anyone suffer with a similar problem? Have any suggestions on how to overcome this?

Answer 1

First off, if you don't know what questions to ask, you don't have any questions! Don't feel it's necessary to ask questions just for the sake of asking.  :-)

Have you ever taken Communications 101? It's a great way to dip your toes into public speaking, which might help you. Also, you might try talking to your professors alone before or after class, either with small talk or a question or two you've come up with. It will make you more recognizeable, and is sometimes less scary than speaking up in class.

If you want to take the plunge and speak up, write down a few questions ahead of time, and have them in front of you during class.

And an easy "cheater's" idea; nod alot and seem very interested; even if you're not talking, your instructor is seeing non-verbal cues from you that you are indeed interested.

And for what it's worth...I'm EXTREMELY vocal and outgoing, but I HATE working in small groups! It's so uncomfortable, and I have tiny panic attacks before each meeting!

Answer 2

Hi. I'm kind of the same way. I find it difficult to speak in class a lot. The way I've tried to overcome that is by thinking about discussions before class. Since you freeze up when you're on the spot, think of questions to ask before you even get to discussion, and if necessary, write them down so you remember them. And if at any point in the discussion you have something to say, push past your fear of speaking and just say it. If you're not expected to say something then it's a lot easier to actually speak, I've found. Once you've done this a few times, you may find that your confidence increases, and maybe you don't blank out so many times. And if you speak a lot on your own, you won't get asked as many questions. I know it's really hard to get past this, and I haven't even fully been able to do so, but just keep at it, and remember that you're not stupid, and you do have things to say, and just try your best to say them. Good luck!

Answer 3

i'm in a different field (psychology) but had a similar problem of not speaking up in class or discussions when i was in college (3 years ago). it's tough to stand out at the undergraduate level. what helped me get recognized was going to the professors' office hours and sending emails with questions/comments. if you feel that your shyness is really preventing you from getting ahead (i.e. graduate school), i have had many professors announce that we should speak to him/her privately if we REALLY can't participate in any form. they are usually understanding. then again, i'm in a very different field!! may be worth a try though.  

Answer 4

I have a similar problem. The way I get around this is by emailing the teacher a lot, a question about anything. Or seeing them after class and asking about a paper or grade. It's a sneaky way of participating, lol. I started doing this and get decent grades