Back to School...Again Part 5

We continue our summer series with our fifth installment. 

In the penultimate part of our series ”Going Back to School”… students continue to answer questions about what it is like to leave the working world to enter graduate school. We hope our experiences have helped others feel more confident about the prospect of going back to school. This weeks’ blog post asks: 

What recommendations do you have for surviving grad school?

I think the most important part is to know yourself and set yourself up for success.  Maybe take a class at night or online to practice being a student again.  Definitely know your study habits and find a steady spot (or two) ahead of time to get your work done.  A nice desk setup, coffee shop, or library spot is critically important.  Know what you need to succeed, be it a coffee maker, a nice pair of headphones, or a study buddy.  A set schedule or a gym membership may also come in super handy. – Sarah Brunker

Be patient with yourself. Appreciate that you are a different person than you were in undergrad and in any past work positions. This is a new experience with different constraints and goals. I initially tried to fall back on my old strategies for both studying and stress relief and realized that many were no longer a good fit. On the practical side, it is not a bad idea to take an in-person course over the summer before going back in order to get a refresher on how to take notes and manage assignments.-- Caitlin Russell

A sense of humor and humility are key here.  Being able to understand what you don’t understand and then reach out to the appropriate channels is just a grad school requirement.  The faster you can accept that this is a new day and a new challenge, the faster you’ll be able to embrace the process.  Keeping perspective has also really helped to alleviate some of the stress as well.  Unlike undergrad, I am more motivated by knowledge than points this time around. This has really given me the freedom to look further into topics presented in class and forgive myself for test scores that were a little disappointing.  In the end, grad school is about preparing you for your career, so being able to appreciate all the learning opportunities will make you a better professional. -- Kelsey Bohnert

Remind yourself that going back to school isn’t easy. It takes time to transition back and adjust to academic challenges such as sitting in lectures each day, studying, and taking exams. It’s important to be patient and reward yourself for your achievements (no matter how small).– Alyssa Azevedo

This is a really good time to readjust and try to integrate good practice into your everyday life, for me it is doing things like yoga or other important self-care - by making myself a priority now I know I’m creating good habits that I can use when I’m in the ‘real world’. I also think it is important to remember that while it is easy to get swept up in the small stuff, the larger picture is that I’ll get to be a genetic counselor at the end of this, and trying to get everything out of my time in school so I’m the most prepared I can be is the more important thing. I think really trying to challenge yourself in the safe space that is school and your training is really helpful, it is hard but at the end you’ll know you really gave it everything and with grad school (like so many things in life) you get out of it what you put in. 
– Natasha Robin Berman

Buy a giant desk calendar. In a rather frantic trip to Staples one night, after fumbling through my first couple of weeks, I found myself in line with a gigantic desk calendar. It proved pivotal in improving my time-management skills the first semester. Having the month out in front of me was instantly relieving. In a glance, I could budget my time week to week, knowing when I needed to buckle down, and when I could afford a day for self-care. Now, filling it out it is a monthly ritual. Secondly, carve out enough time for some exercise (even just a walk!), healthy food, and sleep- no matter how hard it may get (you’re not you when you’re hungry, or sleepy, right!?). Lastly, be kind, be curious, be bold, and be courteous. -- Charlotte Skinner