Mauricio Carvallo Aceves Dream big. Don’t be afraid to pitch ideas you might feel are too ambitious. Chances are that you will find much more support to achieve them than you originally thought possible. Read More Caitlyn Yates My first piece of advice is to not be afraid to ask. Throughout my policy career and now, and particularly as I started to study and learn about potential PhD programs, I emailed everyone. Students, potential advisors, folks who had decided not... Read More Nikola Surjanovic Join a club (or start a new one) and meet new people. Every new connection is valuable. Also, with respect to research, try to expose yourself to as many research areas as possible to get a better feeling of what it is that really interests you.... Read More Elyn Rowe Choose a research project that you're interested in, and a mentor that can support you both intellectually, and through the bumpy transition from a very defined undergraduate degree into graduate school. Grad school is tough, and imposter... Read More Matthew Billet Graduate school is odd because it seems that everyone (even your lab mates) are on their own path. Besides the courses you take, it's likely that no one else will be doing exactly what you're doing. It's probably helpful to accept this early on... Read More Daljeet Chahal My advice probably applies more to those in medical school, but I think it is very important to find an area or topic that drives you, something you cannot help but think about. Keep an open mind – you do not necessarily need to do what everyone... Read More Manpreet Thandi Some advice I would give to new graduate students is: Take advantage of the numerous opportunities at UBC to collaborate and engage with faculty in their research and scholarship Stay connected with your graduate cohort;... Read More Pablo Gonzalez Moctezuma Connect as soon as possible with senior students that might want to orient you and mentor you through your degree. If you want to do something, ask the community, you will always find someone who's thinking the same and UBC is full of very cool... Read More Justin Turner Graduate school is a long process that can feel arduous at times. Don’t neglect the non-academic parts of your life; make sure you build activities and social connections into your schedule outside school that tend to your mental and physical... Read More Shayda Swann Take all the time you have to find a great supervisor. I spoke to several potential supervisors before choosing to work with Dr. Murray and Dr. Cote, and I couldn't be more grateful for my pickiness. Taking the time to find a supervisor who not... Read More Sydney Moore Do what you love, and you will never work a day in your life! Follow your passions and stay true to yourself. Avoid taking a certain path just because it seems more convenient, do what’s best for you and what will benefit you the most in the... Read More Ashley Battaglini My advice would be to try and incorporate balance in your life, including your work schedule, as much as you can. Once creating that balance it's important to maintain it. I think that increases how much you enjoy your work and your life! Read More Jem Arnold Take your time to find a topic of study that you love. Motivating yourself to do the hard work won’t be as difficult when you are genuinely curious about and invested in the topic. Reach out to colleagues, peers, and mentors. Take advantage of... Read More Cissy Suen Take breaks! Don’t be afraid to take risks in your Masters or your Ph.D. This is the time to try things out and see what aspects of the research you like and are most interested in. I also highly encourage getting involved in at least one... Read More Gunwant Matharu Talk, ask too many questions, connect with graduate students in the groups you are interested in, and be wary. If you're not sure what to look out for, ask anyone that is a graduate student currently. We are happy to help you find what's right... Read More Sarah Panofsky Having a supportive, communicative, and engaged supervisor has allowed me to excel in my graduate studies. If possible, choose a mentor who you are aligned with. Read More Negar Khodarahmi It's easier said than done, but I would say trying to find a balance where you can. Meet new people and get out of your comfort zone to see both the communities within and outside UBC that you can be a part of. Try and step out of the academic... Read More Mirta Roncagalli Grad school can be challenging and, from time to time, overwhelming. Try to make time for your own way to decompress and talk to your peers! You will realize you are not alone and that all grad students are in the same boat! Read More Sasha McDowell I would say be patient when learning new skills and to remember that there’s always an adjustment period when starting a new program. When I first arrived at UBC, I was very excited to meet people from different backgrounds and ethnicities, learn... Read More Bev Larssen Don’t forget to take time for yourself to re-energize and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Whether that is playing outside or getting involved in an extra-curricular activity that you enjoy, Vancouver has a lot to offer. Read More Xing Zhang There are ups and downs during grad school. Never lose confidence in yourself and try to keep motivated by your enthusiasm for your research. Also, it’s always beneficial to talk with people from different areas. Read More Pan Deng Being confident and seize any opportunity to stretch yourself. If you are afraid of failure and let opportunities slide through your fingers, you might lose the chance of developing valuable skills and experiences by staying in your comfort zone... Read More Adeerya Johnson Grad school is not a race. Take your time and be kind to yourself as you matriculate through your program. Read More Verena Rossa-Roccor Widen your horizon and do not focus all your time and energy on your studies. Branch out and take/audit courses in other faculties; make use of the ample opportunities to get involved both on campus and beyond; and strive to become a well-rounded... Read More Jens Johnson I think that keeping a planner/agenda (physical or virtual) is a big help, both for remembering the gallery of moving target obligations and for scheduling relaxing or hobby time. Read More Jasper Heaton Have a hobby or activity or *something* that you enjoy that is not in any way related to you studies, and make sure you find some space for it every week. Writing a dissertation can be lonely but it doesn't have to be. Find a working group, share... Read More Danielle Hanke Don't be afraid to ask questions! Starting grad school, especially if you are starting grad school at a new school or in a new country, can be confusing and a little overwhelming at the start, but asking questions can help alleviate a lot of the... Read More Kaili Vesik Expect to get completely overwhelmed at some point in your first year; then at least it won't be a surprise when it inevitably happens! Also, living close to - or on - campus if you can is a wonderful way to improve your mental health by reducing... Read More Megan Zeni There is a lot of life to live outside of being a graduate student in Vancouver. Be sure to make time for play and joy. Get up in the mountains, get out on the water, and into a garden! This is just one season of your life, not your whole life.... Read More Steve Commichau Visit the events hosted by the SASC. They are important, interesting, and usually there is free pizza. Also, don’t forget to rest and hydrate. Read More Hiroshan Gunawardane Find what you truly love and do it, it doesn’t have to be what someone else expects you to do. Read More Sandeep Gill Getting involved is key. I found that attending workshops, seminars, talks etc really helped me gain additional support and allowed me to explore other possiblities with my research. Forming study/support groups with my cohort was helpful in us... Read More Bita Zareian Try to balance your studies with self-care and fun activities! Graduate school provides you with great training in your respective fields of research but can take up a lot of time, and at times, can be stressful! It's important that you allow... Read More Jonathan Doucette Read papers from other fields, and try to connect them to your own research. If you are struggling with figuring out how to solve something, there is a good chance somebody else has struggled with the same problem! Similarly, dedicate lots of... Read More Ariel Ko Take advantage of the travel grants to fund your research conferences and choose destinations you haven’t been to before! One thing I didn’t expect going into graduate studies is the opportunities and support to travel to different countries. Not... Read More Sophie Ma Zhu Compared to undergraduate students, graduate students are more likely to live off-campus or have other commitments in their lives, at least based on my own experience and my observation in the Faculty of Education. But I strongly recommend... Read More Mikayla Pachkowski Figure out what is important to you, in terms of your work and career goals, but also your personal life. Then, put your time and energy there. In graduate school it's possible to get pulled in a hundred different directions, and there are... Read More Christine Yu While extremely rewarding, graduate school undoubtedly brings with it stresses and, at times, a sense of immense pressure. My advice for new graduate students is to foster relationships with their cohort. Take opportunities to bond with each... Read More Shoshana Schwebel Keep in mind that Vancouver is an outrageously expensive city (UBC’s fee calculator as of 2019 listed $29,000 as the minimum annual amount needed to live in Vancouver and attend UBC), and ask to be funded accordingly. Read More Katie McCloskey Avail yourself of opportunities to meet other researchers and faculty and let them know you're keen. You never know what opportunities might open up to you. Read More Gordon Tao There is plenty of excellent advice to receive on being a graduate student, from your supervisor to your peers to UBC resources. As you consider this advice, keep in mind your strengths and limitations, and be aware of what aligns with your... Read More Ben Nadeau Take care of yourself first and foremost, and celebrate your achievements. Grad school is a marathon, not a sprint and some parts will be harder than others. Work hard and make the most of your free time. Read More Ran Xiang Be adventurous—don’t be afraid to take risks. Trust yourself unconditionally. Exercise self-care at all times. Read More Robyn Peers My biggest advice is to always follow your passions. The people you meet in graduate school are incredibly smart, and luckily also incredibly different. Comparing yourself and your work to others ignores that you have a unique and important... Read More Joseph Liang Make friends with other people in your program (and outside of your program), and not just those in your graduating class! Friends who are your seniors can be great mentors, and it is only natural to pay it forward and mentor the incoming class... Read More Mike Wilkinson Grow in skills that will more likely bring about success! In particular: -push yourself through articulated goals -learn how to be self-disciplined -stay open to and cultivate relationships in your academic community (and beyond) -know what... Read More Lara Aysal I try to see this process of my life as an adventure and enjoy it as much as I can. Read More Dora Alejandra Gaviria Serna Doctoral studies is a demanding process, that is why I consider it important to try to maintain a balance in life. Take time for yourself to share with others and to relax. Read More Sara Hosseinirad Be flexible and accept the fact that you may not know everything and learning and gaining some skills take time Be patient and persistent to be able to reach your goals and meanwhile Find a right community to get involved... Read More Dwayne Tucker To new graduate students, I would say read a lot! If you will be doing a thesis-based project, the goal is to become as much of an authority on your topic as possible; this requires a lot of background reading and keeping abreast of what’s new in... Read More Pages« first ‹ previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 next › last »
Mauricio Carvallo Aceves Dream big. Don’t be afraid to pitch ideas you might feel are too ambitious. Chances are that you will find much more support to achieve them than you originally thought possible. Read More
Caitlyn Yates My first piece of advice is to not be afraid to ask. Throughout my policy career and now, and particularly as I started to study and learn about potential PhD programs, I emailed everyone. Students, potential advisors, folks who had decided not... Read More
Nikola Surjanovic Join a club (or start a new one) and meet new people. Every new connection is valuable. Also, with respect to research, try to expose yourself to as many research areas as possible to get a better feeling of what it is that really interests you.... Read More
Elyn Rowe Choose a research project that you're interested in, and a mentor that can support you both intellectually, and through the bumpy transition from a very defined undergraduate degree into graduate school. Grad school is tough, and imposter... Read More
Matthew Billet Graduate school is odd because it seems that everyone (even your lab mates) are on their own path. Besides the courses you take, it's likely that no one else will be doing exactly what you're doing. It's probably helpful to accept this early on... Read More
Daljeet Chahal My advice probably applies more to those in medical school, but I think it is very important to find an area or topic that drives you, something you cannot help but think about. Keep an open mind – you do not necessarily need to do what everyone... Read More
Manpreet Thandi Some advice I would give to new graduate students is: Take advantage of the numerous opportunities at UBC to collaborate and engage with faculty in their research and scholarship Stay connected with your graduate cohort;... Read More
Pablo Gonzalez Moctezuma Connect as soon as possible with senior students that might want to orient you and mentor you through your degree. If you want to do something, ask the community, you will always find someone who's thinking the same and UBC is full of very cool... Read More
Justin Turner Graduate school is a long process that can feel arduous at times. Don’t neglect the non-academic parts of your life; make sure you build activities and social connections into your schedule outside school that tend to your mental and physical... Read More
Shayda Swann Take all the time you have to find a great supervisor. I spoke to several potential supervisors before choosing to work with Dr. Murray and Dr. Cote, and I couldn't be more grateful for my pickiness. Taking the time to find a supervisor who not... Read More
Sydney Moore Do what you love, and you will never work a day in your life! Follow your passions and stay true to yourself. Avoid taking a certain path just because it seems more convenient, do what’s best for you and what will benefit you the most in the... Read More
Ashley Battaglini My advice would be to try and incorporate balance in your life, including your work schedule, as much as you can. Once creating that balance it's important to maintain it. I think that increases how much you enjoy your work and your life! Read More
Jem Arnold Take your time to find a topic of study that you love. Motivating yourself to do the hard work won’t be as difficult when you are genuinely curious about and invested in the topic. Reach out to colleagues, peers, and mentors. Take advantage of... Read More
Cissy Suen Take breaks! Don’t be afraid to take risks in your Masters or your Ph.D. This is the time to try things out and see what aspects of the research you like and are most interested in. I also highly encourage getting involved in at least one... Read More
Gunwant Matharu Talk, ask too many questions, connect with graduate students in the groups you are interested in, and be wary. If you're not sure what to look out for, ask anyone that is a graduate student currently. We are happy to help you find what's right... Read More
Sarah Panofsky Having a supportive, communicative, and engaged supervisor has allowed me to excel in my graduate studies. If possible, choose a mentor who you are aligned with. Read More
Negar Khodarahmi It's easier said than done, but I would say trying to find a balance where you can. Meet new people and get out of your comfort zone to see both the communities within and outside UBC that you can be a part of. Try and step out of the academic... Read More
Mirta Roncagalli Grad school can be challenging and, from time to time, overwhelming. Try to make time for your own way to decompress and talk to your peers! You will realize you are not alone and that all grad students are in the same boat! Read More
Sasha McDowell I would say be patient when learning new skills and to remember that there’s always an adjustment period when starting a new program. When I first arrived at UBC, I was very excited to meet people from different backgrounds and ethnicities, learn... Read More
Bev Larssen Don’t forget to take time for yourself to re-energize and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Whether that is playing outside or getting involved in an extra-curricular activity that you enjoy, Vancouver has a lot to offer. Read More
Xing Zhang There are ups and downs during grad school. Never lose confidence in yourself and try to keep motivated by your enthusiasm for your research. Also, it’s always beneficial to talk with people from different areas. Read More
Pan Deng Being confident and seize any opportunity to stretch yourself. If you are afraid of failure and let opportunities slide through your fingers, you might lose the chance of developing valuable skills and experiences by staying in your comfort zone... Read More
Adeerya Johnson Grad school is not a race. Take your time and be kind to yourself as you matriculate through your program. Read More
Verena Rossa-Roccor Widen your horizon and do not focus all your time and energy on your studies. Branch out and take/audit courses in other faculties; make use of the ample opportunities to get involved both on campus and beyond; and strive to become a well-rounded... Read More
Jens Johnson I think that keeping a planner/agenda (physical or virtual) is a big help, both for remembering the gallery of moving target obligations and for scheduling relaxing or hobby time. Read More
Jasper Heaton Have a hobby or activity or *something* that you enjoy that is not in any way related to you studies, and make sure you find some space for it every week. Writing a dissertation can be lonely but it doesn't have to be. Find a working group, share... Read More
Danielle Hanke Don't be afraid to ask questions! Starting grad school, especially if you are starting grad school at a new school or in a new country, can be confusing and a little overwhelming at the start, but asking questions can help alleviate a lot of the... Read More
Kaili Vesik Expect to get completely overwhelmed at some point in your first year; then at least it won't be a surprise when it inevitably happens! Also, living close to - or on - campus if you can is a wonderful way to improve your mental health by reducing... Read More
Megan Zeni There is a lot of life to live outside of being a graduate student in Vancouver. Be sure to make time for play and joy. Get up in the mountains, get out on the water, and into a garden! This is just one season of your life, not your whole life.... Read More
Steve Commichau Visit the events hosted by the SASC. They are important, interesting, and usually there is free pizza. Also, don’t forget to rest and hydrate. Read More
Hiroshan Gunawardane Find what you truly love and do it, it doesn’t have to be what someone else expects you to do. Read More
Sandeep Gill Getting involved is key. I found that attending workshops, seminars, talks etc really helped me gain additional support and allowed me to explore other possiblities with my research. Forming study/support groups with my cohort was helpful in us... Read More
Bita Zareian Try to balance your studies with self-care and fun activities! Graduate school provides you with great training in your respective fields of research but can take up a lot of time, and at times, can be stressful! It's important that you allow... Read More
Jonathan Doucette Read papers from other fields, and try to connect them to your own research. If you are struggling with figuring out how to solve something, there is a good chance somebody else has struggled with the same problem! Similarly, dedicate lots of... Read More
Ariel Ko Take advantage of the travel grants to fund your research conferences and choose destinations you haven’t been to before! One thing I didn’t expect going into graduate studies is the opportunities and support to travel to different countries. Not... Read More
Sophie Ma Zhu Compared to undergraduate students, graduate students are more likely to live off-campus or have other commitments in their lives, at least based on my own experience and my observation in the Faculty of Education. But I strongly recommend... Read More
Mikayla Pachkowski Figure out what is important to you, in terms of your work and career goals, but also your personal life. Then, put your time and energy there. In graduate school it's possible to get pulled in a hundred different directions, and there are... Read More
Christine Yu While extremely rewarding, graduate school undoubtedly brings with it stresses and, at times, a sense of immense pressure. My advice for new graduate students is to foster relationships with their cohort. Take opportunities to bond with each... Read More
Shoshana Schwebel Keep in mind that Vancouver is an outrageously expensive city (UBC’s fee calculator as of 2019 listed $29,000 as the minimum annual amount needed to live in Vancouver and attend UBC), and ask to be funded accordingly. Read More
Katie McCloskey Avail yourself of opportunities to meet other researchers and faculty and let them know you're keen. You never know what opportunities might open up to you. Read More
Gordon Tao There is plenty of excellent advice to receive on being a graduate student, from your supervisor to your peers to UBC resources. As you consider this advice, keep in mind your strengths and limitations, and be aware of what aligns with your... Read More
Ben Nadeau Take care of yourself first and foremost, and celebrate your achievements. Grad school is a marathon, not a sprint and some parts will be harder than others. Work hard and make the most of your free time. Read More
Ran Xiang Be adventurous—don’t be afraid to take risks. Trust yourself unconditionally. Exercise self-care at all times. Read More
Robyn Peers My biggest advice is to always follow your passions. The people you meet in graduate school are incredibly smart, and luckily also incredibly different. Comparing yourself and your work to others ignores that you have a unique and important... Read More
Joseph Liang Make friends with other people in your program (and outside of your program), and not just those in your graduating class! Friends who are your seniors can be great mentors, and it is only natural to pay it forward and mentor the incoming class... Read More
Mike Wilkinson Grow in skills that will more likely bring about success! In particular: -push yourself through articulated goals -learn how to be self-disciplined -stay open to and cultivate relationships in your academic community (and beyond) -know what... Read More
Lara Aysal I try to see this process of my life as an adventure and enjoy it as much as I can. Read More
Dora Alejandra Gaviria Serna Doctoral studies is a demanding process, that is why I consider it important to try to maintain a balance in life. Take time for yourself to share with others and to relax. Read More
Sara Hosseinirad Be flexible and accept the fact that you may not know everything and learning and gaining some skills take time Be patient and persistent to be able to reach your goals and meanwhile Find a right community to get involved... Read More
Dwayne Tucker To new graduate students, I would say read a lot! If you will be doing a thesis-based project, the goal is to become as much of an authority on your topic as possible; this requires a lot of background reading and keeping abreast of what’s new in... Read More
