At some point, you’re bound to encounter that one professor that makes your face burn up with rage or humiliation every time you come to class.

Maybe your professor is just so boring that you designate your buddy the official “slapper” every time you find yourself starting to doze off. Maybe your professor repeatedly gives you information that sounds so contradictory that you have to remind yourself to check the facts. Maybe your professor thinks it’s cool to humiliate you by calling you out on little mistakes, causing you to hide behind the person in front of you.

Whatever the case may be, there are ways to extinguish the flames of professor hell.

Convince yourself the professor isn’t boring.

I usually don’t encourage lying, but if you really want to pay attention to a “boring professor,” lying to yourself might actually come as an advantage. It might be hard, but it would be harder to go into class with an “I don’t want to be here” mindset. The more you give yourself a reason to remain attentive during a lecture, the more your work ethic and facial expressions will reflect that. It’s only one class of forced positive thinking. Maybe you’ll even learn to enjoy the class.

Ask a lot of questions.

If you feel as though you’re being fed the wrong information or the facts don’t match up, there’s nothing wrong with using subtle tactics to find the right information. Asking for clarity is a good way to go about this.

Also, don’t be afraid to suggest an answer that contradicts a professor’s. Obviously, don’t be rude by shouting, “YOU’RE COMPLETELY WRONG!” They’ll just tune you out. But if you start off with “I thought…” or “Last time, you said…” you might even get the professor to reconsider his or her information. Smart points for you!

Be rational.

Although uncalled-for remarks hurt temporarily, remember that it’s human nature to let comments slip. No one can honestly say that they haven’t said something out of line. Evaluate how frequently the professor uses inappropriate comments. There’s nothing wrong with addressing the issue with the professor. If you’re polite about it, he or she would probably hear your side and adjust. This could even benefit other students.

Work your butt off!

The harder you study, the less you think about the professor’s teaching style. Since you’re here for an education, information matters. Even if it makes more sense from the book, it should relate to the lecture. That way, you can connect the two sources.

However, if you find yourself more confused, you can use another strategy. In huge lecture halls, it might help to study with classmates. As long as you’re doing something to engage in the class, the information will be easier to retain.

Remember there was a reason you started!

No matter how much you find yourself hating the professor, don’t make it your reason to quit the class. If the class is for your major or minor, don’t make it your reason to switch paths. When you think about it, you’re not going to get along with everyone in the work world. You just have to enjoy what you do and focus on the positives. If you keep holding true to the reason you started, it will get easier. It will be worth it.