Post by Vandana Thandassery Ramakrishnan, GIC Peer Mentor 2021
Congratulations! You are reading this because you were one of the few people chosen to be part of a graduate program. You want to prepare yourself for the journey ahead or you wish to help yourself through the hurdles that come your way. Either way, give yourself a pat on the back for getting this far. Trust that things will go just as good if not even better than the years before this. A graduate program admission is often highly selective and years of hard work culminate in the fruitful result of an acceptance to a sought-after school. Now let us go over some of the thoughts you may have or the experiences you may be going through.
The daily life of a graduate student in the first year is like getting into a racecar and halfway realizing that your car doesn’t speed up as much as you want it. First-year coursework in graduate school is much more challenging than undergraduate coursework. A transition to the expectations in the program can take some time. It can get disappointing to not see immediate results. You may be trying different study routines and juggling between course demands and fulfilling your teaching assistant responsibilities or research assistant duties. Pause and put yourself in the shoes of the students who have gone through this program and become professors or policymakers. Remind yourself that the rigor has been endured by many and they have survived. So, chances are that if you are smart enough to get into the program you are smart enough to get out of the program as well. It can get messy in the middle. But you can always get by with a little help.
Isolation
You could be a domestic student who has lived close to your campus all your life. Or you could be an international student who has moved halfway across the planet to embark on this exciting adventure. While in graduate school, the competition can make you feel isolated. There could be students from diverse backgrounds and it might take time to connect and make friends. There could be language and cultural barriers that make it more challenging. If you are traveling from far away, your support system can become weak with the distance. Time zone differences and long-distance friendships and relationships can add an emotional toll on you. All of these feelings can make you overwhelmed. In those times, take a leap of faith. Immerse yourself into new surroundings. Spend more time at the first-year labs or equivalents. If everyone is hesitant to start a conversation or initiate a plan, be the first one. In all likelihood, there will at least be another person who is thinking of the same. At the same time, stay close to your friends and family back home. Dedicate time to connect and share your new experiences with them. Remind yourself of your journey till grad school and remind yourself that you will always have cheerleaders to get you through challenging times.
Imposter Syndrome
Imposter Syndrome is a common culprit of mental health challenges among graduate students. You might feel like you are a fraud or like you are not equipped to take on the demands of your program. To feel so is perfectly normal and the first step through imposter syndrome is to recognize it and to be compassionate to oneself. It can seem difficult to accept that you are smart enough. In such circumstances, think of all the victories you have achieved when you thought it was too hard to achieve. Talk to your grad cohort and academic advisors about your worries. Realizing that you are not alone would help in dealing with imposter syndrome if not completely overcoming it. Take a plunge and immerse yourself in activities outside your comfort zone. Think of those opportunities as arenas for learning and connecting with people in your academic circle who will help you grow through the duration of your program and beyond.
Prioritizing Health
In graduate school, you are there for the long haul. Think of it as a marathon and make time for building resilience. Take a break day or break window through your week. You can use it to build a new hobby or practice an old one that stayed on the back burner for a long time. Just like sleep is important for a healthy body, taking breaks is important to invigorate your creative side and to solidify your learning. Take time to meal plan and ensure that you are having balanced meals. Make time to sleep on schedule and sufficiently. Make time to exercise. If you are in California, take advantage of the great outdoors and take in the fresh air and beautiful scenery. You could also make some new friends in the process. A solid foundation on your physical and mental health would help you achieve your academic goals more efficiently.
Seeking Help
Sometimes, even if you plan every detail of your grad school life with deliberation, things can still get challenging to deal with entirely by yourself. Realize that you do not always have to do everything alone. Ask for help among your close friends and family or your department colleagues. Also, know that professional help is available in your universities and there are plenty of resources available for most of the emotional or academic difficulties you might be going through. Asking for help can likely get you through challenges quicker and easier.
Building Academic Networks
Grad school has challenges but also has support systems available for those who seek it. Building relationships with your professors or graduate mentors can help you gain confidence in your abilities. Building networks among students in the department can help you gain perspective about the expectations and opportunities available in the department. It is often suggested that showing up can surprise you with results. Take the first year as those first steps in finding your place in the department and in your field of interest. Having people to talk to about your ideas can aid in improvising them.
Growth
With challenges comes new learning and growth. Despite the stress and peer pressure, recognizing that everyone is at the same base is a helpful reminder that there is nothing that prevents you from putting your best foot forward after the first year. Some research ideas may fail and grades may not always be as high as you expect. Instead of being bowed down by the weight of expectations, take breaks and consult others to steer you in a positive direction. Graduate school is hard and that is what makes it rewarding to pursue ideas close to you and get feedback. Find what works for you and steer away from comparing yourself with others. Reflect on your challenges and the ways you have tried to overcome them. Learn from them and find a routine that works for you. At the same time make sure to build personal and professional networks for growth while maintaining health as utmost priority. And always remember, if you are smart enough to be chosen, you are smart enough to prove them right.