Advice from UBC Students

Ariana Cahn

Form a good relationship with your supervisor! This can make or break your entire degree.

Dorna Rahimi

Take this time to challenge your thinking, learn about different perspectives, and always be in touch with the community outside of academia!

Sonja Saqui

A few key pieces of advice that I have been given along the way that I feel are worthy of passing on are as follows: (1) graduate studies are a marathon not a sprint and as long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other chances are you...

Adam Vanzella Yang

Do not be afraid to reach out to people and ask for help or advice. Being a graduate student is not an easy thing.

Eric Press

Graduate school promises to be a challenging (if not traumatic) experience at times, so it really pays to get to know how you work and learn best. As much you can, remain dedicated to improving your approach to difficult tasks and stay open to...

Alexandra Ruddy

Work-life balance and self-care are important! Graduate school can be stressful and demanding, but it’s really important to find ways to relax and to find time to do things outside of schoolwork.

Nazlı Özüm Kafaee

There have been times that I worked hard in order to figure things out on my own and try to make everything perfect before asking for guidance. However, most of the time, I learned and accomplished much more when I talked openly and frequently...

Madison Bolger-Munro

Seek out opportunities to meet and network with other researchers in your field. My thesis work has been greatly enriched by collaborations that I established with scientists that I meet at meetings. There are many funding opportunities available...

Patrick Dowd

Be prepared to feel spectacularly ignorant and experience occasional existential dread when you feel like you know nothing of your research topic at all. These momentary difficulties will provide you learning opportunities like nothing else.

Leah Baugh

I would suggest connecting with your research supervisor and other faculty members to gain experience in different research methodologies and projects through volunteer or paid research assistantships.

Colin Wierts

Talk to your supervisor as well as other faculty members and students about your research ideas and interests as much as you can. It helps with moving your ideas forward, creates potential opportunities for collaboration, and can be a great way...

Priye Iworima

Give yourself definite goals. Don't afraid to try things. Most importantly, don't be afraid to fail. Just remember to get back up after any and every failure.

Joseph Zsombor-Pindera

Make friends, ask a lot of questions, and always remember that experiments usually fail. You have to try things a heck of a lot of times before you can draw your conclusions, so if something doesn't work, try it again, and if it still doesn't...

Joshua Fawcett-Weiner

I'd suggest new students think carefully about what they want from their grad school experience and, where possible, try to tailor their plans accordingly. Also, pacing yourself, maintaining a social life and being mindful of your health are all...

D. Kyle Sutherland

Imposter syndrome is a hurdle that MANY new and current graduate students contend with throughout their degree. It is totally normal to feel this way, so keep your head up.

Félix Cormier

Always ask questions, and also make sure to always take time for yourself - work-life balance is important!

Mahsa Khalili

Being curious and open to exploring new and unknown research areas. You will be amazed to find out how much you can push the boundaries of knowledge and yourself!

Kyle Gooderham

Take time to care for yourself. Pursuing a graduate degree is an all-consuming test of your perseverance, and it will take a toll on you. Develop and maintain habits that promote your mental and physical wellbeing.

Ben Dantzer

I have three pieces of advice for new graduate students. First and foremost, I would encourage all new graduate students to find an off-campus activity that they enjoy to do with others. UBC can be quite academically challenging at times, so...

Katherine MacDonald

Make sure to have work-life balance. There are always more experiments to do or papers to read, but you need to make some time for yourself as well.

Aarya Chithran

Grad school will be challenging but don’t drown yourself in work. Find a good way to release your stress. Vancouver and UBC have a lot to offer, so learn to enjoy your research experience here!

Daniel He

Remember to prioritize your mental health, and don't compare yourself to others - we are all on our own journey. Think big with your research, but plan for the future while you're in graduate school!

Sam Anderson

Don't be afraid to say “I don’t know”. Knowing where your knowledge ends is a key part of figuring out how to ask new questions. Also, it’s important to be honest with both yourself and with your supervisor about your interests and goals so that...

Pranav Shrestha

Do not take graduate life too seriously - learn to enjoy the process because research is usually filled with unforeseen obstacles and failures. Try to follow a healthy daily routine, where you stop work after a certain time. Rest is as important...

Kyrie Vermette

Pursuing a graduate degree is a taxing endeavour. My first advice to new graduate students is to not be afraid to admit when you do not understand something. Not understanding something does not mean that you are unqualified for your program or...

Gabrielle Berry

Take breaks. Go for walks. Know that everyone has imposter syndrome.

Sophie Smit

Balance. Your own mental health is so important, taking care to look after yourself, spend time with friends, and let go of the imperfections amid the demands of graduate school is key to making it through.

Alaa Eldin Abdelaal

I advise them to have a clear goal of why they want to pursue a graduate degree, especially a PhD. Another piece of advice is to learn about all the available resources they have during their studies and make use of them to achieve their goal....

Jigyasa Verma

Take graduate school as a training ground for achieving your goals in life and do not miss out on the fun and inquisitiveness in the process. Make sure to pursue your hobbies (and develop new ones).

Maggie Woo Kinshella

Be passionate.

Hayden Scheiber

Make lots of friends in your first year, get involved in teams/clubs, and take your courses seriously!

Jason Leslie

Every grad student's journey is unique. Don't compare your progress, your project, your methods, or your state of being with other students in your program as nothing useful can be gleaned from that. Try not to take it too personally or too...

Michèle Cheng

Keep your goal in mind, work hard, and persevere.

Daniel Kwon

The most capable person who can ensure your success in graduate school is you. Be your own best advocate and always reflect on how to optimize your success in research from the big picture, such as selecting a research discipline or advisor, even...

Henry Lu

Make sure you have a good work-life balance, have a clear plan for your degree (as the independence can be daunting for many), and read read read!

Natalya Lebedeva

Learn about life in Vancouver and on campus before you come. There are many perks that you can enjoy if you apply for them in advance. Waitlists are long here :)

Jonathan Eaton

Schedule down time and recreation time. Everything in your life will be making demands on your time, and as a graduate student, it’s often difficult to make time for the people and activities that are important to you. For graduate students, work...

Travis Fuchs

Talk to as many people as possible, take at least one course that just interests you, and remember that without your research and story we would all be worse off.

Daniel Ji

Trust in the process.

Samantha Schaffner

Graduate school on the surface might seem easier than undergrad - there are far less exams, classes, and materials to memorize. The real challenge comes outside of the classroom when you are learning to manage your research projects, your time,...

Seyed Amirhossein Nasseri

It seems to me that as a graduate student, the questions you are trying to answer through your research will inevitably become a big part of your life. I think it is really important for prospective graduate students to try to know about their...

Raahil Madhok

Find a hobby that can take your mind of research or coursework. Graduate school has a tendency to consume an unhealthy amount of time, and it is important to stay grounded and mentally healthy. A hobby where you can be in the moment, have fun,...

Khaled Ahmed

Be sure that you are passionate about your field of studies/research before pursuing it. Work hard, but don't forget to have fun.

Jonathan Reich

Grad school is a marathon, not a sprint. Mental health and financial issues are widespread among graduate students - aim for balance and be gentle on yourself.

Wajiha Mehdi

When I came here, the very first memory is that of being extremely overwhelmed. As an international student, this meant a major shift in culture, weather and everyday life in general. So, to new students I would say, take your time to settle down...

Laina Southgate

I learned that graduate school is difficult and the expectations of your work are significantly higher than undergrad. That being said, however, don't be afraid to push yourself. Take an extra class, do a directed reading, explore a thesis option...

Sakshi Jain

It is very easy to drown yourself into work as a graduate student, however, Vancouver has a lot to offer and you shouldn't miss out on that (because there ALWAYS will be work to do). So relax and don't stress out too much.

Karama Asleh

Do not allow obstacles to dampen your motivation and be the one leading your actions. Create healthy and realistic strategies and revisit them to increase your chances of reaching your goals. Do what you can do to impress yourself and learn to...

Marjan Ebneshahidi

In our schools, we have to answer so many difficult research questions, but the first challenging question we should attempt to answer is "what is the real meaning of life?" UBC and some non-profit organizations in Vancouver have a wide range of...

Shubham Arora

Come. Explore. Rejuvenate. Make serious efforts. Expand yourself. Live a life.