Congratulations on making it to Grad school! The first few weeks of college can be exciting and rewarding, but it can be a little overwhelming at times. The connections you build and the strategies you develop for success in these upcoming weeks provide a foundation for the rest of your time in UCI.
Here are the following things you should keep in mind during the first few weeks at school:
- Be sure you’ve chosen the right courses:
Being an international student, it takes the entire first quarter to get accustomed to a foreign place, culture and educational system. Be sure you haven’t signed up for courses that are extremely hard as you need to give yourself time to adjust and understand the norms of the system here at UCI. Trust your ability and sense of the courses and make changes in your courses on week one to avert any kind of stress.
- Quick survey of syllabus:
Start figuring out the structure of the course and prioritize what needs to be done in order to understand and excel in that particular course. Buy or rent the books recommended by the professor from the library or amazon. Attend all the classes and be alert to any kind of changes or tip offs about what the professor thinks is most crucial for you to get the hang of the subject.
- Start maintaining a planner or Calendar:
Graduate school is all about juggling between deadlines of assignments, quizzes and exams. If you start to mark on the important dates such as exam schedules, professor office hours, career fairs; you would be able to resolve possible conflicts and would be clear as to what is to be done first. Now would be the time to familiarize yourself with few calendar applications on your phones or PC.
- Find your spot:
It’s not too early to find yourself a cave where you can do your studying peacefully and effectively. Try studying at different libraries, student centers and labs during the first few weeks, this might help you to decide on your cave for the next two years.
- Gather a study group:
You cannot expect yourself to know the answer to every question to your assignment, hence it is always helpful to sit in a group and discuss the subjects. Most of the students have a different undergraduate background prior to their master’s degree. Having few study buddies will motivate you to learn and understand the new concepts together.