Congratulations on completing your first semester of graduate school! I hope you are incredibly proud of yourself. One major lesson of graduate school is to celebrate the small victories.
The first year of graduate school is not the most challenging year, but it is the most demanding. As you transition to the second semester, you will find yourself still adjusting while facing increased responsibilities, which can be both exciting and daunting. Allow me to share some words of wisdom as a McNair alum and an academic coach to help you navigate the upcoming spring semester.
Your responsibilities will increase with the added stress of figuring out your summer plans. If imposter syndrome hasn’t kicked in yet, it may in the spring. Remember, you are still figuring out graduate school and are not alone. It may seem like your peers have it figured out. This isn’t true. Everyone is still learning. Spring semester is like a marathon because there is no break until spring break. By the end of the semester, you may feel burnt out. It is essential to prepare for this.
I recommend the following steps to ensure a fulfilling spring semester:
1) Create a spring to-do list that encompasses your academic, professional, and personal goals for the semester. Breaking down each goal into more digestible action steps makes them more manageable. Goals may include achieving significant milestones in your program, managing your finances effectively, or obtaining summer opportunities. The summer following your first year should be spent building your skills, advancing your education, or contributing to your research. Planning ahead for this is crucial.
2) Develop a self-care plan to prevent burnout when you start feeling overwhelmed. Incorporate weekly breaks into your schedule, allowing yourself guilt-free time away from work. During my time in grad school, I always made it a point to take Saturdays off to attend to my personal well-being and responsibilities. Taking a full day or even a half day off helped me rejuvenate my mind and body. Find your own designated “Saturday,” whether it involves engaging in an activity, spending time with loved ones, getting ample rest, or pursuing any other form of self-care.
3) Cultivate a strong support system. In the fall semester, you began identifying your support systems. Carry this forward into the spring semester. Building a support network goes beyond finding a peer who can offer assistance. It entails establishing support systems for all facets of your personal and academic well-being. Cultivate your academic, emotional, and professional support systems. Reflect on what you require to thrive in your personal and academic life, and seek out individuals and resources that can provide support in those areas. Let’s normalize asking for help.
4) The best advice I received during my own graduate journey was to “make a schedule and stick to it.” This means designing a schedule that enables you to strike a balance between your degree commitments, family responsibilities, and leisure time, free from the stress and anxiety of lingering responsibilities. Disruptions or alterations to your schedule will happen. For individuals like myself who grapple with depression and anxiety, adhering to a schedule can be challenging as mental health can disrupt the routine. The same applies to students with familial responsibilities. It is crucial to create a flexible schedule that allows room for adjustments to meet the demands of your life. Wherever there is room for flexibility to readjust your schedule, you should do so if necessary. Sometimes, you won’t meet your goals, which is okay; make new goals that accommodate all the bumps along the way.
Most importantly, remember to be kind to yourself and grant yourself grace. Graduate school does not get easier; instead, you become more adept at navigating its challenges and continue to grow.
Wishing you the best,
2011 CMU McNair Alumni
Undergraduate Program Manager,
University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Education
Owner & Coach at Guided Pathways Career & Academic Coaching, LLC
