Advice from UBC Students

Arwa Nemir

Enjoy the experience of being a grad student and make the most out of your time at UBC. Make sure to check out the amazing free resources offered by UBC, like workshops and webinars for professional development and for helping graduate students...

Archita Borah

My advice for newer graduate students to UBC is to keep their minds open not only to expand their academic careers but also the human connections. Graduate school is challenging and often overwhelming, but it is worth it! Taking care of one’s...

Ellen Jopling

A very wise mentor once told me that a graduate program is like a gas; it will take up the space you give it. So, you have to set boundaries. For me, this meant carving out a solid routine and a work-life balance early on in the program.

Calvin Zhuhan Qiao

Take good care of yourself both physically and mentally. Set reasonable goals. Step outside of your comfort zone with a plan and purpose. This is where we grow and where the magic happens.

Hilal Kina

Find a supervisor who you can work with and a topic that you are passionate about, and remember that the ups and downs of graduate school will not last forever. Graduate school can be an isolating place (and while spring here is superb, winters...

Jennifer Lavalley

Don't be scared to unsettle the traditional/conventional ways of doing research. Be creative. Take risks.

Jenny Tran

I believe time management is important in navigating grad school. Balancing school and everything else can be hard, but I find that having a life outside of the lab allowed me to be more effective in my research when I return.

Katrina Besler

Find a community that isn’t focused on academia, in addition to your academic community. For me, this was my faith community, and I found it to be a huge source of support and a space to remember who I am as a person outside of being a student....

Uuganbadrakh Oyunkhishig

I would advise new graduate students to start building their personal network right away after enrolling in their program. It will help them find a job, increase their exposure to new research, and obtain experiences from others. They should also...

Deborah Good

When prospective or new graduate students ask me for advice, I generally tell them three things. 1) Make sure that graduate school is the only thing you want to do right now. It’s a difficult path without guarantees, and it will still be there in...

Katlyn Richardson

Put yourself out there! Whether its volunteering or applying for awards - the best opportunities to disseminate your research will come from making yourself and your research visible.

Roula Farag

Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone, attend different events and meet people outside of your program. Participate in competitions and initiatives that allow you to communicate your research and showcase your skills. It's not enough to...

Conan Omori

Something I was told is that studying isn't just leading onto the next part of your life, you're already living it. So take opportunities to try new things, explore, and enjoy the flexibility that a graduate program can give you.

Shannon Lim

Find your passion and your meaning. If you're not passionate about the project or can't see how the project will be meaningful, you'll likely get tired of the project quickly and put less effort into it (i.e. it will take you longer to graduate...

Jacob Stubbs

Try to find the elusive balance of saying “yes” to as many opportunities as you can while still maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Take things seriously but don’t forget to enjoy your day-to-day, and always remember to keep the bigger...

Rohit Singla

Three tips. 1) Your relationship with your supervisor is fundamental to your grad school experience. 2) Connect with and learn from as many people as you can, as you never know where inspiration will arise. 3) Be mindful of your journey, and...

Vaishnavi Sridhar

Never stop learning and exploring. Throughout your graduate degree, you will learn so much about yourself, about how strong and resilient you are. Never miss an opportunity to develop new skills, connections and yourself as a person. Try to make...

Amir Parizi

Do not get stuck in your research! There are lots of activities around campus and in the city that you can enjoy.

Morgan Alford

I would suggest that new graduate students seek out a supportive community within their field. Not only will these people provide mentorship and guidance relevant to the completion of your degree, but also friendships and memories that will...

Roland Nadler

Take all advice with a grain of salt. While there are things we feel we can all relate to as graduate students, the truth is that there's such an incredible level of variability both across and even within programs that only you can figure out...

Kelsey Timler

Find supervisors that you feel comfortable being vulnerable with. Equally important is to find peers whose work and values are aligned with your own, and have consistent mechanisms to touch base and hold one another up. Finally, it’s important to...

Paul Boniface Akaabre

Communicate frequently with your supervisor(s) and establish a good working relationship with them and other faculty members as well as your colleagues. You should balance your schedule well - know when to attend to your academic work and when to...

Darwin Sodhi

Be patient with yourself! Transitioning is tough and building a lasting community will take some time. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there by attending events and getting to know your community because they will be the people to support you...

Yundi Wang

The first semester in a new city or maybe even a new country will be challenging. Give yourself both the time and space to adjust to a new lifestyle. Find a hobby you enjoy doing and remember to a) not only build your network and connections that...

Samuel He

Be resourceful and take advantage of the support available to you, whether it be from UBC, your professors, or your peers. Be flexible and be yourself, but be sure to be independent. That means making your own decisions when you feel you know...

Sachi Patel

Have fun and learn! Doing research is not always fun. You may fail often while searching for new outcomes, which is not end though; it is actually learning and a new beginning. So, always cherish small moments of trivial success during graduate...

Laura Stankiewicz

Get curious, get excited, and don't worry too much about the details! Graduate studies must be primarily motivated by your own curiosity and enthusiasm. However, I was nervous coming to UBC because I didn't have a particular research area of...

Adi Burton

Find people who are interested in similar things and read books with them! Meet regularly and don't cancel when you feel overwhelmed. Isolation (and its effects) is the real time sucker and demotivator, whereas I find that I can regenerate energy...

Leah Shipton

I still consider myself to be a new graduate as I am only in my first year of my PhD. So far what has worked for me is making sure I am disciplined in managing my time well - which includes making time to relax and have fun outside of school. And...

Lianna Wat

My main piece of advice for new graduate students is: to be kind to yourself. When you first begin, you look at the senior students around you and think about how much knowledge and know-how they have. Then when you are asked a question you don’t...

Ryan Jamula

Give yourself time to adjust to grad school and try not to think too far ahead. Talk to other students and learn from students who have already been where you are.

Patrick Huber

Don't be afraid. Get out there and meet new people, make friends and embrace your time as a graduate student at UBC.

Delaram Behnami

Balance is key. You need to pace yourself and figure out the right ratio of research/work, social life, hobbies, etc. for you.

Veronica Letawsky

Reach out to your previous mentors as well as your academic peers for guidance and support. You never know where or how a useful resource or opportunity for collaboration may come to be; sometimes the most valuable connections are also the most...

Cidnee Luu

Graduate school is very fast-paced and it can be stressful and demanding, and I think it is important to take some time to relax and recharge.

Sedigheh Zolaktaf

Don’t be afraid to pursue a research area that you do not have prior experience in.

Marie-Soleil Smith

Try to get a taste of everything Vancouver and UBC have to offer, in terms of clubs, sports, activities, etc., within the first year of your program. That way, when you get busier with your projects, you know what you like and can focus on...

Lizhen Wang

Explore the richness of academic resources on campus and enjoy the cultural events beyond campus as much as possible when you are in the first years of the program. Be mindful of key questions you want to investigate for your own project while...

Amir Abdi

Smile! My granddad, may he rest in peace, used to say, "When a minute goes by without you smiling, that is a minute lost." My professional advice, for those engaged in academia or industry, is first to find and then to follow your passion. If you...

Chantel Chizen

Feel free to ask your colleagues or peers for support when you need it. Conducting research sometimes feels like a rollercoaster of ups and downs but talking with others can make it easier. Also, be sure to celebrate your successes no matter how...

Fiona Revill

Canadians (especially Vancouverites) can be shy! If you're from overseas, be bold and ask people to lunch - we're nice, we just don't want to step on your toes!

Lazar Atanackovic

Research is tough and sometimes you have to take a few steps back and re-evaluate a certain approach to a problem. But regardless, negative results are good results! You just have to stay focused and keep pushing.

Yanjie Dong

Our professors are knowledgeable. Please feel free to contact them when you are facing difficulties in your research.

Sally Innis

If you have to take the 99 B-line, try to catch it either right before or right after the morning undergraduate class rushes. Also, it's easy to get trapped in a UBC bubble. The campus is beautiful, and everything you need is either on or near...

Hannah Green

The beginning of graduate school can be a bit of a whirl-wind: there is a lot more responsibility and time-commitment than undergraduate studies. However, just remember that you are here for a reason: that you DESERVE to be here. Never doubt your...

Erin Ryan

I keep trying to remember that my time here is precious and short. This is a time to treasure quality learning, philosophical discussions, and conducting original research.

Lauren Vincent

Work-life balance is important in graduate school, make sure to make time for yourself and the things you love to do. Also, remember that unexpected results are not bad!

Rodney Stehr

I found it really helpful to make friends in my classes and in my cohort. It is a great way to foster informal communities of support and care. Joining some sort of sport or recreational club where you can spend time with a group of people and...

Alberto Delaidelli

Choose carefully the type of research that you want to pursue. Work hard and be persistent: even Nobel laureates were at some point students who messed up their experiments. Don’t be misled by big names in the field or publications in fancy...

Bryan Hemingway

My advice to new graduate students is based on my own experience: you do not need to prove you are worthy of being a graduate student (you are already one). For me, during my undergrad, I got into a mental space of needing to prove that I could...