Guest post by Xueting Zhao, master’s student at the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice, and WorkLearn for UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS).

 

Starting grad school can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. This is an opportunity for personal and intellectual growth while also expanding your career potential. But you may also face common hurdles. Experiencing imposter phenomenon? Struggling with time management to juggle both course/workloads and life commitments? Feeling isolated and having trouble making friends? You’re not alone! Here we’ve gathered some top advice from UBC faculty members and former graduate students that might help you start your grad school journey with confidence!

Get settled in: attend orientations and know your resources

Coming to campus events is a great way to learn everything about UBC and be exposed to various resources available to support you, and expand your horizons, throughout grad school.

Joining a series of GradStart events and visiting the resources page on the Graduate Student Orientation website are effective ways to quickly locate useful information. Don’t forget the Graduate Student Community, which is the perfect platform to connect with peers, build networks, search for resources and look for accommodations!

Feeling a bit overwhelmed and not sure where to start? Follow the New Student Checklist to make sure you stay on track!

Plan ahead and plan strategically

Having courses, work/research projects, reading lists, funding applications, and extracurricular events all thrown at you at the same time can be a bit daunting. Planning strategically and beforehand can help ease the chaos.

Before making any concrete plans, it is essential that you understand your personal values and goals. What really matters to you in your program? Will you pursue further studies after your program? Are you committed to staying in academia or planning on going into industry or the private sector for future careers? Keeping these questions in mind and re-visiting them from time-to-time as you move forward with grad school can be helpful when you need to set priorities and organize schedules.

While having plans helps to complete coursework and progress with your scholarly research, it is also important to understand that things happen and plans change. We are all at different stages of our lives with various lived experiences and responsibilities. Therefore, it is critical that you develop and (re)orient the plan to fit your situation the best.

Use the Graduate Game Plan to help navigate your grad school journey. The Graduate Pathways to Success program and other campus partners offer an abundant collection of workshops, webinars, and other activities designed for personal and professional development support throughout your studies and research, including workshops on organizational habits and maximizing your academic experience.

Be prepared to take on challenges and setbacks

You’ve been successful so far in getting into grad school and settling down in a new city. Congratulations! Just as you plan on taking a stretch and enjoying grad life —new challenges start pouring in. Whether it’s feeling imposter syndrome, falling behind on courses, or not getting that funding you’ve worked so hard for, setbacks are part of your grad school package.

When in doubt, remember that you have time and opportunity to correct your course. While challenges can sometimes be demoralizing, they also serve as great learning opportunities to hone your problem-solving skills and build resiliency. There are plenty of resources available across campus that can support you as you navigate grad school. So hold the course —don’t despair!

Maintain consistent and effective communication with your supervisor, mentors, and peers

When encountering obstacles during courses/research, keep communication channels open with supervisors and mentors for advice, brainstorms, and comments. It’s always better to have conversation earlier rather than going down a road that might not be fruitful and losing a lot of time.

Network among your peers, in particular with those who came before you. They may have some great advice for you.

Have questions on navigating supervisor-student relationships? See what G+PS recommends!

Follow your curiosity, stay motivated

“We are all working together, but it’s your questions that are helping us move forward... It’s not one attribute of grad school that will make you fantastic; it’s that you’re part of a team, a team that’s pushing forward our understanding of the world and pushing forward our research. ” Dr. Sarah Otto, Professor, Zoology

One way that grad school differs from undergrad is that you have to be motivated and self-driven. We are here to contribute to knowledge production, hone skills, and bring changes to society. Ask yourself repeatedly:

  • Why am I doing this?
  • How does what I’m doing right now apply to what I want to do for the next chapter of my life?

Follow your curiosity, and you will (re)find your passion.

Build your network early

Aside from research and knowledge production, consider building your own support system, whether for academic advancement or for professional development. Relationships take time to grow stronger. Therefore, it’s always better to start finding like-minded people as early as you can.

Dedicate time to try to secure funding

While funding applications can be time-consuming and competitive, it’s still worth your dedication. Whether that’s awards, scholarships, or research/work opportunities, try to make sure that you have sufficient financial support for the following months or year(s). For more funding support, visit the G+PS website and go through the list of award opportunities.

Ask questions and ask for help

A lot of times we avoid asking questions for fear of asking a dumb question. Or asking for help because we’re afraid the answer is going to be “No” or “I’m too busy.” One piece of advice we hear time and again from grad students is do not hesitate to reach out-whether that’s a question plaguing you or extra support required for you to better progress. One day you will find that grad school is not only about striving for self-accomplishment but also about understanding and appreciating the meaning of solidarity. And at some point, you’ll be the person people are asking!

Don’t forget to do the things that make you a happy person!

In grad school, there’s always another paper to write, another project to take on. It is really important for you to find that balance so that you can move on more sustainably and perhaps also more productively.

You can’t fully commit and make productive progress if you’re struggling yourself. Spend time on having a social life, meeting with friends—don’t be a workaholic, although it may sometimes be hard to avoid.

Build your own support groups. Connect with people you feel comfortable hanging out with, whether that’s your peers, friends, supervisors, or mentors.

This is your grad school journey. Have fun with it!

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