Surviving Grad School

Surviving Grad School

 

Veronica sitting on grassy hill holding a black french bulldog. Veronica and the french bulldog are wearing matching yellow sweaters.

Adapting to grad school continues to be a work in progress. However, the following things have helped me keep my sanity.

 

  • Find a support system

    • My support system includes my family, friends, colleagues, and my cohort-mates. And more recently it includes my dog Luna.  

Luna my French Bulldog wearing a pink tutu and a gold crown

  • Take time for yourself

    • Making sure I take time for myself helps ensure that I’m refreshed and energized when it’s time to work. Some things I have done for myself include training for half-marathons, taking naps, reading for fun (non-academic books), and watching television.

  • Seek help

    • If you need assistance, find help. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m surrounded by brilliant people that might (if they don’t, they might point me in the right direction). Also, I’ve been seeing a therapist since undergrad, and it has been an enormous help.

  • Acknowledge that this is a learning and self-improvement process

    • Sometimes things aren’t going to work out, and I’ve learned it’s okay. I say it is not a failure unless I fail to learn something. Sometimes we won’t get that “A” in class or win that award, but if I managed to learn something or come out better/wiser than I was before, I won. It doesn’t mean that I won’t be sad, but think about the bigger picture.

  • Seek opportunities

    • That can include looking for grants/fellowships, but it can also be networking.

  • Go at your own pace

    • We are all not similarly situated; we are all different and have different abilities. Don’t’ worry about what other people are doing and keep focused on your own goals and work. It’s hard, but try not to compare yourself to others. Also, we don’t necessarily know what other people are dealing with or going through, and the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence.

  • Have multiple mentors

    • Your mentor will be guiding your academic journey, but they shouldn’t be your only guide. Different faculty members can support you in multiple ways, so network fall and wide. Moreover, it’s important to have multiple faculty members that can write recommendation letters for fellowship, grants, or internship applications.

  • Try to enjoy the journey