Do you want to know how your friend, sibling, or child is doing in their studies? Do you want to show them that you care about their academics? Do you want to avoid asking the same boring question: ‘How are your studies today?’
This article is for you; if you answered yes to any of these questions, you will learn 15 interesting ways to ask someone about their studies.
These ways are more creative, engaging, and fun than the usual questions. They will help you start a meaningful conversation with the person you are asking about and make them feel more comfortable.
Let’s get started!
15 Interesting Ways to Ask Someone How Their Studies Was
Below are some interesting ways to ask about someone’s studies, along with examples for each way:
- How are classes going for you this semester? Any that you’re enjoying or struggling with?
- Tell me about your courses lately. What subjects are keeping you the most busy or stressed out?
- I’d love an update on your studies! What classes and projects have you been excited about or feeling overwhelmed about lately?
- On a scale of 1-10, how engaged are you feeling with your studies these days? What’s got you fired up or bored?
- You’ve seemed a bit rundown recently – how are things going with your studies? Feel free to vent!
- Give me the latest! How are your classes and workload treating you lately? Smooth sailing or super stressful?
- How are you balancing your course load right now? Do you feel like you’re keeping up okay or falling behind?
- Tell me about your day as a student. What does a typical schedule look like and how much time do you spend on schoolwork?
- What’s the most interesting or challenging thing you’ve worked on for class recently? I’d love to hear about it!
- Have any of your professors or courses stood out lately, for better or worse? Feel free to rant!
- On a level from ‘totally unengaged’ to ‘fully immersed,’ how engaged are you feeling with your studies lately?
- What’s the most memorable or exciting thing you’ve learned recently? Any new concepts that blew your mind?
- How are you holding up mentally and emotionally with your studies? Feeling motivated or burned out?
- Tell me about your biggest academic successes or frustrations so far this semester.
- In a nutshell, how are classes going for you right now? What’s got you feeling on track or wanting to drop out?
Now, let’s get to the details;
1. How are classes going for you this semester? Any that you’re enjoying or struggling with?
The start of a new semester or session can be challenging because you’re starting a new level with different courses and other levels of stress.
Asking someone how their studies are going can be interesting if you open up the conversation by inviting them to share some highlights and lowlights about the semester.
You can ask about a specific class or course for which subjects they feel passionate about or courses that are proving difficult for them. This would give you insight into their overall experience in the semester and get them talking about their success and pain points.
- ‘What’s been your favorite class so far?’
- ‘Have any classes turned out to be tougher than expected?’
2. Tell me about your courses lately. What subjects are keeping you the most busy or stressed out?
Sometimes, when people go to school, they have a lot of different classes to take. Some of these classes can be hard and require a lot of time and energy.
If you ask someone about their courses lately, you can find out which classes make them feel the most stressed or take up most of their time.
This helps you understand how they’re feeling, and you can help them find ways to manage their time better or cope with the stress.
- ‘Which homework or tests have felt overwhelming recently?’
- ‘What tactics are helping you stay on top of busy classes?’
3. I’d love an update on your studies! What classes and projects have you been excited about or feeling overwhelmed about lately?
Asking for a general update allows students to share about their recent coursework. By asking this question, you will enable them to talk about their classes’ positive and negative aspects of their studies.
They can talk about subjects or assignments they find genuinely engaging, which can help them feel more excited and motivated about their studies.
At the same time, they’re also free to vent about challenging projects or exams, pushing them to their limits. By keeping the tone of the conversation upbeat, you can create a safe and supportive space where they feel comfortable sharing their experiences and emotions.
- ‘Tell me about one of your most fun class activities or assignments.’
- ‘Have any big projects or exams snuck up on you?’
4. On a scale of 1-10, how engaged are you feeling with your studies these days? What’s got you fired up or bored?
The conversation can start by asking the student to rate their level of enthusiasm towards their studies on a scale of 1-10 and then explore the reasons behind their rating further.
The idea is to get a nuanced understanding of what motivates or demotivates the student and how they feel about their academic journey.
- ‘When was the last time you felt truly pumped up for class?’
- ‘Have any classes started to feel like a drag lately?’
5. You’ve seemed a bit rundown recently – how are things going with your studies? Feel free to vent!
If you notice that a student is experiencing academic stress or burnout, try to create a safe and supportive space where they can express their feelings.
Sometimes, all they need is someone to listen as they vent about assignments, professors, or their busy schedules.
It’s important to validate their exhaustion and let them know that you are a safe space where they can talk through their struggles without fear of judgment. You could say something like,
- ‘If you need to complain about school, I’m happy to listen!’
- ‘If you need to get frustrations about classes off your chest, there’s no judgment here.’
6. Give me the latest! How are your classes and workload treating you lately? Smooth sailing or super stressful?
This gives the person a choice between focusing on the positives or venting about their negative experience with their studies, depending on how they are feeling currently.
Is the academic journey now energizing or stressful? Some will share the positive side of their studies, while others will be relieved to discuss all the issues they are having with their studies.
- ‘What’s the most interesting topic you’ve studied in the past week?’
- ‘Have any big assignments or exams made things crazy for you recently?’
7. How are you balancing your course load right now? Do you feel like you’re keeping up okay or falling behind?
When a student is struggling academically, it can often be due to difficulty managing their time effectively.
They might feel like they need more work and more to do it, or they might need to reach their goals. You can ask the person what they think about their current workload and whether they feel like they’re keeping up or falling behind.
Based on their response, you can engage in an open and honest conversation about strategies to help them feel more balanced and productive with their workload and schedule. You can ask questions like:
- ‘What’s your favorite productivity hack for getting through busy weeks?’
- ‘How on top of things are you feeling compared to last semester?’
8. Tell me about your day as a student. What does a typical schedule look like and how much time do you spend on schoolwork?
If you want to understand how much your student spends on academic tasks during a typical day and week, consider asking them to map out their schedule.
This can help you gain insight into their workload and identify areas where more effective time management could reduce stress. By understanding their routine, you can better support them in any way you deem fit and capable.
- ‘When does your school day begin and end? What’s your schedule?
- ‘How many hours a week do you dedicate to studying outside of class?
9. What’s the most interesting or challenging thing you’ve worked on for class recently? I’d love to hear about it!
If you want to have a more engaging conversation with students, it’s best to discuss specific challenges or milestones they’ve achieved related to a course.
This approach encourages students to share their thoughts and feelings about their studies, whether positive or negative. By focusing on a particular academic task or course they took, they can delve into a more meaningful conversation about their studies.
- ‘Tell me about a project or paper you learned a lot from completing.’
- ‘Have any big assignments pushed you academically lately?’
10. Have any of your professors or courses stood out lately, for better or worse? Feel free to rant!
You can learn more about their studies by referring to their professors or courses. Students will have much to discuss with their lecturers and classes. After all, they are the bedrock of their studies.
So, the question above will get them talking about whether they have issues with their lecturer or professors or with a specific course. You can also try any of the questions below:
- ‘Who’s your favorite professor this semester and why?’
- ‘Have any teachers or classes been frustrating or disappointing?’
11. On a level from ‘totally unengaged’ to ‘fully immersed,’ how engaged are you feeling with your studies lately?
Like the 1–10 scale, when asking students to access their overall academic investment, make it centered around. Follow up by asking about specific aspects of their classes that make them feel engaged or disengaged.
- ‘When’s the last time you got lost in an assignment or project?’
- ‘Any classes where you’re just going through the motions for a grade?’
12. What’s the most memorable or exciting thing you’ve learned recently? Any new concepts that blew your mind?
We all love talking about ideas that fascinate us! This question allows students to discuss their academics and how everything is working out. They’ll get to talk about their challenges and tell you if they are doing well or struggling to meet up.
- ‘What topic recently clicked for you after not fully understanding it before?’
- ‘Have any lessons left you eager to learn more about a subject recently?’
13. How are you holding up mentally and emotionally with your studies? Are you feeling motivated or burned out?
Asking about their mental health and emotions is an excellent way to start a conversation and get them talking about their studies. Acknowledging that school can impact their mental health and overall well-being is important.
Therefore, it’s crucial to have candid conversations about maintaining motivation, managing anxiety, and avoiding academic burnout.
You can ask more specific questions, like:
- ‘On a scale of 1–10, how stressed do you feel about school lately?’
- ‘Have any healthy stress relief habits been helpful for you recently?’
Remember, the goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where students can openly discuss their academic and personal challenges without feeling judged.
14. Tell me about your biggest academic successes or frustrations so far this semester.
Sounding curious about their academics and celebrating successes together fosters encouragement. Talking about their frustration can offer them relief, and you can offer them solutions where you can. Also, it’s important to celebrate their little wins to encourage them to do better.
- ‘What grade are you most proud of on a recent test or assignment?’
- ‘Have any poor grades left you feeling disappointed or stressed out?’
15. In a nutshell, how are classes going for you right now? What’s got you feeling on track or wanting to drop out?
An open-ended question like this gives them the room to talk about their studies, both positive and negative. The goal is to create an atmosphere where people feel comfortable sharing their academic experiences—the good, the bad, and everything in between.
- ‘What’s your favorite part about being a student this semester?’
- ‘If you could change one thing about your classes or workload, what would it be?’
Final Words
It’s important to remember that showing interest in a student’s academic journey involves more than just asking questions. By asking open and interesting questions, you can create a space for students to share their feelings about their studies.
This demonstrates genuine care and support for their studies, which can significantly impact their academic success.
The 15 questions above can be a starting point for meaningful conversations that foster mutual understanding and support. By building a positive and supportive relationship with the student, you can help them navigate their academic journey with confidence and enthusiasm.