Today's news story is brought to you by two grad students here in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science: Sumita Sen and Frolence Fidelis. Sumita is a first-year PhD student in Dr. Osler Ortez's Lab and Frolence is a first-year master’s student in Dr. Eric Stockinger’s Lab.
They wanted to share their experiences of how they not only survived their first semester of grad school but thrived by planning, prioritizing and balancing their personal and professional lives. All while building strong connections and memories to last a lifetime!
Without further ado we'll turn it over to Sumita and Frolence...
Transitioning from undergrad to grad school can be a bittersweet experience but an advanced degree not only boosts your knowledge but can help you further your career opportunities. The first semester as a grad student is a critical period; this is when you decide on course work, develop a research strategy, and plan your Student Advisory Committee (SAC).
According to Young et al. (2019), attrition rates for PhD programs in the United States range from 36 – 51%. Likely because grad school demands intense time, motivation, and dedication. Balancing course work and research can be a challenging adjustment. Read on to see how you can overcome the first hill - your first semester.
Be Ready to Be Criticized
Yes! This may sound eccentric, but it's time for critical thinking and to be mentally prepared for rejection (this'll mainly be constructive criticism, so don’t worry, its about making you a better scholar). Becoming emotionally strong and resilient is an important step towards success in grad school. Rejection (criticisms) may come from your peers, senior staff, or even from your advisor. Try to understand the importance of constructive criticism and work to improve your skills.
Read…Read…and Read
A crucial aspect of grad school is building up your knowledge-bank. Make reading a habit; read and synthesize one research article related to your field of study every day and maintain notes of what you have learned. If you find some terms ambiguous, search more about them from online resources/books and discuss with your peers or with your advisor.
Get Help from Friends
You may already have tons of friends from high school or from college; but building strong connections with your peers in grad school is extremely necessary to thrive. Do you struggle with numbers and coding? Someone in the same class may find numbers and coding to be a piece of cake! Forming a study group can facilitate the development of new ideas and supporting each other emotionally makes the grad school journey smoother.
One step at a time
During the first semester you may want to get involved in many activities: being the top student in the class, trying to be that diligent researcher who doesn't mind working long hours on the weekend, volunteering at an event, taking up a lucrative position in Student Council, hiking the mountain etc. However, all of these may not be realistic to achieve at once. Remember the phrase “Little drops of water maketh an ocean”? You just need to take one step at a time to reach your goals. Make a prioritized to-do list with deadlines - the things that require immediate action, address them first. Then tackle your other tasks.
Avoid distractions and don’t procrastinate
Maintain a schedule for your personal and academic life. In this era of technology, it’s easy to get distracted with one click! When you're working on your “to-do’s” keep your phone in silent mode and try not to browse unnecessary content - this'll just delay you. Avoid procrastination at any cost!
Get a hobby
Enjoying your field of research is critical in grad school but you'll find yourself exhausted, dispirited and burnt out if all you're doing is working day and night. It doesn't matter if you're an amateur artist or a bathroom singer, take a break from work and spend an hour a day working on a hobby. You'll be amazed to see your elevated energy levels.
You can do it!
University and department handbooks are helpful resources - during the first weeks of grad school, go through them. Check emails and necessary pages (ex: Buckeyemail, Buckeyelink, Workday, Carmen etc.) regularly. Understand your lab culture and build a positive relationship with your lab-mates. Talk to senior students and get their advice. Initial struggles in grad school will help you develop a stronger personality and don't hesitate to communicate with your advisor.
Lastly, give it time! You will survive!
Reference: Young S.N., Vanwye W.R. and Schafer M.A., Robertson T.A. and Poore A.V. (2019) Factors Affecting PhD Student Success. International Journal Exercise Science.12(1):34–45 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30761191/)
- Sumita Sen + Frolence Fidelis
Feeling inspired to start your own graduate school journey? We have you covered.