Advice from UBC Students

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…

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.

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.

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…

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.

Ran Xiang

Be adventurous—don’t be afraid to take risks. Trust yourself unconditionally. Exercise self-care at all times.

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…

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…

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…

Sara Hosseinirad

1. Be flexible and accept the fact that you may not know everything and learning and gaining some skills take time
2. Be patient and persistent to be able to reach your goals and meanwhile
3. Find a right community to get…
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Lara Aysal

I try to see this process of my life as an adventure and enjoy it as much as I can.

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…

Sherry Kiafar

My greatest advice to new graduate students is to try to be persistent in your research, make the most out of your time in graduate school, don't hesitate to use the support available to you, don't lose the balance between work and life, and have…

Jeffrey Morgan

Make sure to pursue projects and academic interests outside your direct graduate research project. This will give you the opportunity to meet and get inspired by others outside your network, and you never know where it will lead you!

Jennifer Lavalley

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

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…

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.

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…

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…

Leah Shipton

I would recommend that new graduate students think early about academic and non-academic opportunities you would be interested in pursuing and how to prepare for them during your degree. And really take time to invest in building good…

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…

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.

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…

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…

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.

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.

Shubham Arora

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

Xueqing (Rose) Zhang

Be prepared for your program and new studies, which is going to pretty heavy. The first term is always the hardest. For international students, take part in info sessions and online webinars organized by UBC's Graduate Pathways to Success…

Kate Wahl

Bring a growth mindset to your graduate experience! Now is a great time to explore challenges, take intellectual risks, and learn to capitalize on setbacks. Knowing that not everything will go according to plan, remember that your colleagues will…

Cassandra Elphinstone

Get involved in activities you enjoy outside your research. They will introduce you to a like-minded community of people and provide you with a way to relax when you need a break from your project.

Denali YoungWolfe

For Indigenous Students – Turtle Island is your home. UBC sits on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm territory. Musqueam has expressed an invitation to Indigenous students to come to this place of gathering & learning – you belong here. The colonial…

Samuel Adeyanju

I will advise new graduate students to enjoy all that graduate studies and the city has to offer. They should be deliberate in their actions and ensure they are making the right choices and connections that will be useful in achieving their…

A. Saskia Wolsak

Take advantage of all the resources offered to students to help you navigate the system. Starting any program includes a huge learning curve -- there is a lot of new terminology, platforms, systems to conquer before you can even begin to study.…

David Champagne

In my opinion, the pace, intensity and range of possibilities of scholarly research can be overwhelming. Often, we may feel like we are not up to the task, notably in terms of writing. In the face of this dilemma, I found that writing daily,…

Daphne Ling

It is not a weakness to ask for help. A PhD is a challenging and difficult decathlon where you will fail more times than you can imagine. I would also note that science doesn’t progress if our hypotheses always pan out and the only thing we…

Rebekah Kartal

Try to find ways to enjoy the process rather than get overwhelmed by what you (or your advisor) think the final product should be. For me, graduate school has required an open mind and flexibility. Additionally, try to find a balance, making time…

Reid Mitchell

I think my best advice is to not be scared to ask questions. I've found graduate school is a lot of independent learning but not everything needs to be independent. Asking your supervisor and fellow students questions will not only increase the…

Santiago David

Be nice! Trust yourselves! There might be many ups and downs in grad school, but it is very important to keep calm and not to get frustrated. Also take breaks when you need them. Make plans for your different goals, but do not stick to them 100…