Congratulations on starting your graduate school journey!!! You’re embarking on an incredible adventure that will allow you to grow academically, professionally, and personally. College-level coursework and school demand your dedication, perseverance, and willingness to step outside of your comfort zone. As you begin this new chapter in your life, I want to share some valuable words of wisdom (and things that helped me during MY first semester of graduate school) that can help you make the most out of your experience! With these tips, you’ll be able to navigate and embrace the amazing opportunity that lies ahead.
MANAGE YOUR TIME WISELY
Graduate school is a demanding experience, and you will need to balance multiple responsibilities, including coursework, research, your job, studying, and extracurricular activities. To stay on top of everything, it is important to develop good time management skills. Create a schedule that works for you and stick to it as much as possible. What worked best for me was using a combination of a digital planner in Google Calendar, a paper planner, and good old-fashioned sticky notes!
I typically use my Google Calendar to schedule my monthly events, appointments, and deadlines for big projects. For my physical planner, I use Jess Massey’s Peacefully Productive Planner! I really love this planner layout because it allows me to plan my day to the specific hour, which REALLY helps with schedule blocking! I’ll put in my work hours, class schedule, clinical times, appointments, specific study times, and even when to take breaks throughout my day! For my daily tasks, I honestly find it most effective for me to write down what I need to get done for the day on a sticky note and put it on my computer.
It might seem redundant, but this system is what works best for me. Not every system is going to be the right fit, so you’ll have to do some trial and error and figure out what works best for you. Remember, you can’t do everything at once, so prioritizing your tasks and focusing on what is most important is your key to success.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
Graduate school can be stressful, and it’s easy to neglect your health in the midst of all your responsibilities. However, taking care of your mental and physical health is CRUCIAL to your overall well-being and academic success. Make time for regular exercise, healthy eating, and sufficient sleep. Just like with organizational skills, fitness is not a one-size-fits-all. Find what you love and you’ll stick to it!
I remember I would spend hours on the stair master and treadmill just to find myself more exhausted and stressed about the fact that I had to go to the gym. I ended up finding a class-based fitness studio that is a great fit for me! Now, I go at least 4-5 days a week, even with a packed schedule! This, in turn, helps me maintain a more balanced diet by eating whole foods that help fuel me for my workouts!
It’s also really helpful to practice stress-reduction techniques like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga if that’s your jam! I’m big on journaling, specifically gratitude journals! This is how I start every single morning, with a cup of coffee and 10 minutes of my time just writing down my thoughts and feelings. If I’m feeling uninspired, I just do a quick Google search to find guided gratitude journal prompts.
Be sure to connect with friends, family, or a counselor when you need support. Remember, your health is your most important asset and YOU matter most, so take time for self-care and show yourself some love.
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR PROFESSORS AND PEERS
Graduate school is not just about acquiring knowledge, it’s also about building relationships with people who can help you achieve your goals. I found that one of the most valuable things about college in general, is networking. Even if it’s something as simple as connecting on Linkedin, attending professors’ office hours, or checking out an on-campus seminar, these small moments can add up by the time graduation rolls around!
Your professors and staff members are some of the most experienced and knowledgeable people in the field, so they’re a great first point of contact for finding a job or asking industry questions! Remember, your professors want to see you succeed and give you all the tools to do so, it’s just up to you if you use those tools or not.
Another way to build professional relationships with peers is to join clubs or organizations that align with your interests or career goals! Most universities will have a club or organization related to your major and if they don’t, reach out to your school’s student association program or resource office! You can always start your own club if you don’t find anything you’re interested in.
BE PROACTIVE IN YOUR LEARNING
Graduate school is a time to develop your critical thinking skills and take ownership of your education. Don’t simply rely on lectures and assigned readings, but instead, be proactive in seeking out additional resources and opportunities to deepen your knowledge. The more you invest in your own learning, the more you will get out of your graduate school experience.
One of the best ways that I like to stay connected with people in my field and up-to-date information is through social media! My Instagram @teachmesandy has a perfect balance of information from current speech-language pathologists, SLP graduate students, online teachers, marketing professionals, and more!
EMBRACE FAILURE AS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
I might be one of the first people to tell you this but… you are going to fail at some point. Whether it be a project, quiz, exam, or presentation, you’re going to fail, AND THAT’S OKAY! Graduate school is the time to do so! Grad school is challenging, however, failure is not a reflection of your worth or intelligence, but rather an opportunity to learn and grow.
Going into graduate school, I had this ‘failure is okay’ mindset from the very beggining, which was a very different approach compared to my mindeset during my undergraduate studies. I thought it was quite literally the end of the world when I even got a C an assignemnt, let alone an F. Switching my mindset going into graduate school has allowed me to reflect on what went wrong and actually helped me retain the knowledge better AND adjust my study habits for future assignments!
Embrace your failures, reflect on what went wrong, and use that information to improve your approach next time! Seek feedback from your professors and peers, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Remember, failure is not the end, but rather a stepping stone on the path to success.
DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET
Along with embracing failure, it’s important to cultivate a growth mindset, which means seeing challenges as opportunities for growth and believing that your abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication. Rather than focusing on your limitations or fixed abilities, focus on your potential for growth and improvement. Adopt a “yet” mindset, where you acknowledge that you may not have mastered a skill or concept yet, but with effort and persistence, you will get there.
In my field specifically, imposter syndrome runs rampant. Imposter syndrome can undermine your confidence and even hinder your progress in school, but developing a growth mindset can be particularly valuable in overcoming it! By developing a growth mindset, you can approach graduate school with a sense of optimism and resilience.
BE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS AND PERSPECTIVES
One of the benefits of graduate school is the opportunity to engage with a diverse range of people and ideas. Take advantage of this by being open to new perspectives. In graduate school, you will have the opportunity to encounter a wide range of people with different backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints. Rather than dismissing ideas that are different from your own, embrace the diversity of thought and perspectives that you encounter. Engage in respectful discussions and debates, and be open to learning from others. By broadening your horizons and challenging your assumptions, you can deepen your understanding and become a more well-rounded scholar.
All in all, graduate school is a challenging and rewarding experience that will push you to grow in many ways! I hope that you found something helpful to kick off your first semester with a strong, confident start! Remember to manage your time wisely, take care of your mental and physical health, build relationships with your professors and peers, be proactive in your learning, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, develop a growth mindset, and embrace diversity of thought and ideas. With hard work, dedication, and a willingness to learn, you can achieve great success in graduate school and beyond. Good luck on your journey!!!
If you’re looking for more information about graduate school, speech language pathology, or the world of online teaching, be sure to check out more blog posts here 🙂
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