Graduate International Connection Program

Maintaining Work-Life balance- Written by Mahitha Vallampati

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Hi! With just a few weeks left for your big move, I am sure most of you are excited and may be a little nervous. With help from your peer mentors, the transition can be made a lot smoother. I hope you are actively interacting with your mentors to get your doubts clarified.

When I started as a graduate student one year ago, I was overwhelmed by the tasks ahead of me. Getting acquainted with the quarter-system of education, working on multiple assignments and projects, fear of not finding a good advisor, simply put, being in a rush to multitask all the time. At times, I forgot that there is more to graduate student life than being a student. We only have a few years of student life before moving on to build a career. To make most of it, it is crucial to have a balanced lifestyle.

I highly recommend finding a comforting hobby/activity to relieve your stress. It could be meditation, dance, music, cooking, or even just taking a walk in Aldrich Park! You can explore various classes offered at the ARC, most of them are free! Giving yourself a break regularly helps you rejuvenate and perform better. If socializing is your way of taking a break from monotonous student life, Graduate Resource Center offers various workshops every quarter. Enrolling in them will not only benefit you with certification and experience, but also gives you a platform to interact with students from various backgrounds. International Coffee Hour hosted at the Counseling Center is yet another option to make new friends and having fun conversations over a cup of coffee!

It is easy to lose track of time and get overwhelmed by the plethora of tasks on your to-do list. Remember to take a deep breath and give your mind a short break every now and then! I have listed various resources for you to try, leave a comment if you are interested to know about something in particular! Zot Zot Zot!

  1. Anteater Recreation Center – many classes are free or definitely budget friendly
  2. Public Speaking – Activate to Captivate – One of the best workshops I attended, Bri is amazing!
  3. International Coffee Hour – Visit once for free snacks, coffee and more!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hey Mahitha, great article! Good tips from you; I will definitely attend the public speaking workshop!

    I think Facebook is an excellent platform to check out events held locally. If you select “events near me” you can find many activities taking place for an entire month, in OC and LA. There may be seasonal markets, dance events, and more!

    The best way to maintain a work-life balance (specially needed in graduate school) is to allot some “me” time everyday. It can just be for an hour. Imagine this setting: Coffee/tea with a book, or great music, lazily sitting in Aldrich or Mason park. That in itself can rejuvenate you!

    What do you think?

  2. Your graduate student experience really speaks to me, Mahitha.I remember arriving on campus and it felt like everyone was so busy – all they did was work, work, work. I was lucky that I was able to join a club sports team – the opportunity to play water polo again helped me relieve stress and find a circle of friends that I could lean on for extra support when grad school became stressful or lonely. I used to feel guilty for practicing 2 hours a day, but being active actually made my research and my writing better.

    I strongly encourage everyone to find a hobby that they love doing – anything that helps them tear away from their research for at least a few hours. You need time to let your ideas sit and for your work to “breathe,” and you need to decompress. We are students, but this is not the only part of our identity!

  3. Great tips! Also, don’t forget to check out the intramurals leagues in the ARC, this quarter they are organizing soccer, football, volley and basketball (3v3), and there is also ping pong, frisbie and racketball tournaments coming up! You can just create a team or join one (look for fb groups) and it’s definitely a lot of fun!