Whether a student feels they belong in your class is often decided in the first session, and it strongly affects whether they engage and persist. Small, genuine gestures build that sense of belonging: greeting students as they arrive, learning a little about who is in the room, and saying plainly that you expect everyone here to be able to succeed.

Rapport is not at odds with rigor; it supports it. Students take more risks, ask more questions, and work harder in a class where they feel known and welcomed. You do not need grand gestures, just warmth and the clear message that this is a place where they can learn and they are wanted. That message lands most strongly on the first day.