Advice from UBC Students

Musanna Galib

Take your time. No need to rush and try to enjoy the journey of graduate studies.

Fatemeh Asadi Zeidabadi

My advice is to build a professional network. Networking is crucial in graduate studies and beyond. Attend conferences, join professional associations, and participate in extracurricular activities to meet people in your field and build your...

Kiarah O'Kane

Follow the path that you are passionate about! Believing in your research and being curious about the topics you are studying is so important for figuring out what you want from your graduate experience.

Varshaa Kumaran

Don't fret too much about planning your future or worrying about what's next, go ahead and just do it! I am sure you will not regret it.

Jerry Achar

All graduate students seem to be in the same boat. Academic activities, including research, can really make you enjoy your time at the University when you progress well with every effort you make. But this is not always the case; sometimes, you...

Shiva Zargar

My first piece of advice is to take care of your mental and physical health. Gaining the highest achievements without being healthy is not worth a penny. My second piece of advice is to look at graduate programs as a journey in which you will...

Dante Prado

It is common for graduate students to be confused and feel overwhelmed, but eventually, you will devise your methods to organize, making you feel more confident. More importantly, strive to be open, to use every resource and opportunity to grow...

Arun Kumar

Have fun with it! These are going to be some of the best years of your lives. Don't forget why you started this process and why you love it. There will be many moments when your experiments aren't working, or your week isn't going to plan. Remind...

Xaanja Free

Keep focused on your passion, this is your time! Graduate studies is an accomplishment, you should be proud to be here, and happy to do the work. This time is meant for you to stretch your wings, and show how you can fly--with the supportive...

Rachel Vivian Helmer

Surround yourself with a few mentors in the department who will guide you, and ask what the specific expectations are for your program (ex. timeline). Then make a schedule/research plan.

Ajibola Fabusuyi

Stay on course and make the best use of the numerous student- and research-friendly resources available on campus. Be willing to ask questions and challenge stereotypes. And if there is any need, ask for help. Nobody judges anyone because...

Haley Hrymak

I always remind myself to not worry about creating things that are perfect- there is no such thing.

Mahta Amanian

I would advise new graduate students to explore new opportunities, expand their network, and enjoy the experience! While succeeding in your program is always an inherent goal, it is also important to prioritize your health and wellbeing. Reaching...

Pardis Kazemian

My advice for upcoming graduate students is to stay creative in their work. Do not be afraid to pitch new ideas and take risks; however, be prepared and back it up with appropriate research. Also, do not hesitate to reach out to people within or...

Khair Mufti

Finding the suitable environment for your graduate training is of great importance and has a huge impact on your overall performance and graduate life experience. Make sure to surround yourself with supporting mentors and to get connected with...

Dorothy Lin

My advice to new graduate students is to not be afraid of asking a (possibly self-perceived) excessive amount of questions. I had realized that if you do not know something, there is likely at least one person that may be able to help you, and...

Jimmy Lo

Plan ahead. Write down clear, achievable short-term goals and to-do lists that help remind oneself to work towards achieving major long-term goals that one ultimately wants to accomplish within and beyond the course of studies.

Eunice Bawafaa

Prepare well financially before arriving and get a place to stay before you arrive.

Ritwik Bhattacharjee

Take it slow. This is a long ride. Take care of your mental and physical health first. The grades will follow.

Pinhao Xiang

Don't say no to opportunities. Try as many new things as possible. You will never discover your passion if you don't try new things.

Vanessa Diamond

My biggest piece of advice would be trust yourself and take time to take care of yourself. It can be easy to feel lost and overwhelmed when starting something new like graduate school, but trust yourself and the choices that lead you here....

Bhagyashree Chatterjee

Please do not try to limit your experiences by building friendships in one particular community only. Your networking is your biggest asset, utilize it. And learn from everything- all your failures teach you at least one important life skill that...

Katy Chen

The experience is what you make of it! Although I'm sure that many of us grad students are seemingly always engulfed in our studies and research, it's important to remember that that is not all that defines us. Setting aside time to find your...

Jia Yu Xu

For many graduate students, the first year can be overwhelming, especially if you are from another country and are adjusting to a new environment. It is always important to put your mental health before anything else, and not to be afraid to seek...

Braden Russell

Find a supportive and welcoming community! Your mental and physical health is the most important, do not forget to take care of yourself. Always remember you do bring something to the discussion and that your perspective matters!

Susanna Cassisa

It is okay to feel like there's so much you don't know- you're here to learn! Also, your mental health is important and should be a top priority.

Cecilia Wang

Make best use of all the available university resources, enjoy the friendships and connections that you make, reach out for support, and take care of your own health and well-being.

Sharri Cyrus

The experience that you have at UBC is pretty much in your hands. For your academic journey endeavor to build healthy working relationships with your supervisor and your lab mates, as this will set the stage for a great working environment....

Esther Roorda

There are a lot of opportunities available on campus, including scholarships, research talks, competitions, workshops, volunteer opportunities and clubs, that I’ve found really fun and/or useful. Having all these different opportunities is one of...

Emma Betz

Take a deep breath! It can be very overwhelming starting a degree but if you break things down into more manageable steps, it makes it easier to continually work towards the end goal.

Laura Brass

Make the most of this academic endeavour and personal experience—own it—whether that means growing your network of mindlike peers, immersing yourself in the culture and social activities, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone (for me, one...

Naomi Potter

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Speak up and ask your questions. You will be surrounded by people - peers, lab members, supervisors, collaborators - so build your community and lean on them for support when you need it.

Alexander Garner

Take initiative. Even though grad school is largely a self-driven journey, there are many supportive people willing to help you at UBC. You just need to reach out to them and ask. If you want something, make it a reality. You never know what you...

Nancy Lin

Maintain an open mind, be curious about everything, and dare to challenge established ways of knowing. Building a collaborative and communicative relationship with one’s graduate supervisor is also one of the most enriching parts of being a...

Rabia Mir

Your relationship with your supervisor significantly impacts your learning process. If it's not an equitable or pleasant one, then seek alternative supervision.

Josef Garen

Be stubborn; don’t give up when things get difficult, but also don’t hesitate to ask for help. There is a whole community of people around you to help, though you may have to go looking for them. Also, use your healthcare benefits while you have...

Ariene Cabantog

Make sure you are happy in your team and are excited to come to work every day. Working in a supportive environment with supervisors and peers you can lean on plays a huge role in achieving success. You get out what you put in, so put in the...

Aisha Ghani

Take advantage of the opportunity to continually challenge your thinking, learn from diverse perspectives and world views, and to engage with communities. Try to understand yourself and what you need to stay accountable and on time with your...

Sebastian Gomez Cardona

To enjoy every aspect of their program, but always remember that it is part of their life, not their entire life. Graduate degrees can be very demanding, and we should not disregard other aspects of life.

Kate Huang

Your supervisors and peers are there to help you! Don’t be afraid to reach out for help and support. Dedicate time to connect with people and pursue your passions outside of your studies. Revisiting a problem with a fresh perspective can often...

Luke Polson

Probably the most jarring thing you'll experience coming out of a course-based undergraduate degree and moving into a research-based graduate degree is when you initially start research. Unlike with most assignments/projects due for courses,...

Adrienne Kinman

Choose the environment and advisor over a specific project. Lots of things change (life and science-wise) over the course of graduate school, but having a supportive community around you makes all the difference.

Isaiah Betinol

Take a step back - graduate school is tough and it's easy to lose the forest for the trees. Make sure you take the time to do things you enjoy!

Jen Baron

Graduate school can be overwhelming, and a major component of the experience is trying different approaches and learning from your mistakes. Building a strong community of peers, setting achievable and realistic goals, and structuring your...

Cassandra Hesse

Come to school with an open mind and open heart. UBC has a wonderful way of creating experiences that will help inspire you to become the person you have always wanted to but never knew possible. Also, don't forget to have fun!

Martina Zago

Work hard because inevitably there are going to be challenges along the way. But above all: do not forget your ideals and be persistent.

Kaitlin Sullivan

Ensure that the environment and the people you work with fit with you and your interests just as much as the science does. Science is inherently collaborative and graduate school is long, so having people around you that you enjoy will be just as...

Sabina Staempfli

Don't underestimate the value of working as a research assistant. I learned just as much during my first year of my PhD program working as a research assistant as I did during the other aspect of my studies. It helped me make valuable connections...

Faeze Keshavarz

I would like to tell new graduate students to try and have a work-life balance to increase their efficiency and avoid burnout. I also think it is important to know that not all endeavours will yield success, but they should never give up. It is...

Brandon McNabb

I would recommend talking to current and former students and post-docs to find out if the lab you're interested in will be a good fit. I also started out as a MSc student before scaling up, which I think was a nice way to "test the waters" before...