When I came to grad school, I found myself a bit lost. While I had gone to the school-wide and campus-wide orientations, entering a PhD program straight from undergrad left me unfamiliar with the culture, norms, and academic demands of grad school.
My program was small. The year I started UCI, only one student had been admitted to Social Ecology (Core) PhD program – me. I felt out of place and lost. Every day, new questions and worries would pop into mind – Was I doing everything that was expected of me? How can I improve my chances of professional success? Were these experiences normal? And if so, when would they go away? Speaking to first year students in other programs, I realized I was not alone.
It wasn’t until I started seeking out the advice of seasoned students in my program that I started to feel more comfortable on campus. The best advice I received, and the advice that I pass along to incoming students is that grad school is what you make of it. To succeed, you have to be pro-active. If you want to jump on a project, you should clearly articulate that desire to your advisor, and prove to them – either by completing lab work, or by building a knowledge base in the subject – that you are more than capable of handling it. The same goes for your time spent outside of classes. To have an enjoyable experience and to be an effective researcher, you need to take time away from your work. Go to the gym, or spend an afternoon at the beach. Grab a drink with your friends. Give your body and your mind time to recharge and recover.
The advice changed my entire approach to graduate school and has helped me carve my own niche at UCI. It also made me realize that everyone has a story to share. Understanding the challenges and experiences of students at UCI can allow us to overcome our own road blocks in graduate school.
Therefore, below I’ve shared the responses from current PhD students (domestic and international) on our campus, as well as UCI alumni. I hope these lessons help you not only during your transition to our campus, but also throughout your entire time here.
*****
“If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again…”
The hardest thing is going to be […] when your work fails. Your work has been the most important thing to your entire life. But you wanted to take risks, push boundaries, and discover things that no one else on the planet knows. Sometimes, you’re going to stumble. But it will all be worth it. You will discover something new, and you’re going learn so much more about yourself through the process.
– Gianna Fote, Second Year Student in MD/PhD Biological Chemistry Program
The Importance of a Plan
I can’t emphasize enough the power of a to-do list. Writing down my specific goals and tasks for the day allows me to approach my time with intention and purpose. Then when I have completed something on my list there is such satisfaction in crossing it out. Having a to-do list reminds me of my productivity, which is all the more important when I need to justify a moment to myself to just decompress and do something non-academic related.
– Justin Strong, Second Year student in Criminology, Law, & Society PhD Program
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others. Grad School is a Personal Journey.
You’ve out-competed a number of applicants to get your spot in your program. From now on, you are no longer part of a herd of identically educated minds. Within and across programs you will now set out on your own unique adventure, collecting knowledge and applying it in the best way you can to revolutionize your field. You will never EVER have an identical encyclopedia of wisdom as anybody else IN THE WORLD. This is significant because you are joining that small percentage of the “hyper-educated” citizens of the world. Your brain, your ability to think logically and critically is a great value to society, but it’s your unique perception that is the most valuable. Therefore, dwelling on comparing your achievements to the next is not as fruitful as embracing your unique skill set. […] Once you’ve finished with your PhD, it doesn’t matter how many or how few publications you have, you’ve got all you need to find a career where you can impact the world for the better…which is the real goal after all, isn’t it?
– Randi Jimenez, PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, current UCI Post-Doc
Balancing Student-Life and Personal Time
The first year is generally busy with core classes and just getting used to your program. I wish that I knew to balance my time in a way that allowed for more “me time.” I think it’s important to have time dedicated to non-school hobbies, activities, and traveling. Later on in the dissertation phase this becomes very important, because balancing life and work is necessary to succeed and not get burned out.
– Jess Ziegenfuss, Fifth Year PhD candidate in Visual Studies
Enjoy your first year to the fullest. Even with classes it is the year with the most free time. Join different clubs and get involved on campus because if you don’t do it your first year you probably will never do it. Go on trips with friends on long weekends, enjoy winter break and spring break because most likely you won’t get those breaks again. Explore the area and go to events you might not like because you might end up finding something you love.
– Jasmine Naik, Third Year student in Chemical Engineering PhD Program
Grad school has been everything that I’ve wanted and more, so far. Not to say that it isn’t tough – doing well in classes and balancing a heavy research load quickly adds up into one of the hardest thing most of us have done up until now. But this is the time where we define who we’re going to be for the next five, ten, twenty years into our careers. The habits that are built here are paramount to how meticulous we are in our next job, diligent when applying for positions, and resilient despite failing over, and over, and over. […] Balance is important in all of this. You can’t be the best scientist you can be if you’re running on 4 hours of sleep daily and feeling miserable or isolated at every turn. Burnout is all too real, especially in the years leading up to thesis defense, but you can mitigate this by giving yourself time to breathe and lie on your sofa to think about life every so often. Or going to the pub one night with some friends. […] Taking time to be a person to yourself and to feel well and hold is never to be discounted, and through trying to balance our work and own well-being can grad school be something to fondly look back on and cherish.
– Alex Ochs, Second Year Student in Biomedical Engineering PhD Program
Transitioning to Life in a New City and Academic Environment
I wish I knew that the first few months would be an emotional roller coaster. I missed my home, my friends, and I hated where I lived; I also felt out of place in my program, like I wasn’t good enough to be there. [… ] I wish I had known, when I started my degree, that within 6 months, I would feel completely different, that I would fall in love with my new city and most importantly, that I would feel like I belonged in grad school.
– Kasey Regan, Fifth Year PhD Candidate in Criminology, Law, & Society
Help is Just Around the Corner
Ask for help! Don’t be afraid to reach out to others in your department (whether they are in your cohort or others) when you feel overwhelmed, stressed, unsure, etc. We are all working towards a goal (albeit those goals may be very different) and at the end of the day – we are a community of scholars and should support one another! If you feel like you can’t go to anyone or want to talk to someone outside of your department – utilize the on-campus resources.
– Bree Stori-Turner Bland, Second Year student in Criminology, Law, & Society
Finding a Mentor Style that Works for You
Don’t underestimate the importance of finding an advisor/lab that is a good fit for you and your learning style. Don’t be afraid to rotate with groups until you find the best fit. Trust your instincts, because this relationship will define the rest of your grad school experience. Under the right conditions, you will thrive.
– Biomedical Engineering PhD, 2017
******
Of course, I saved the best advice for your time at UCI for last:
“Zot! Zot! Zot!”
– Peter the Anteater