Back to CAPS page
Strategies for Successful Graduate Students
Years spent in graduate school are undoubtedly a stressful and anxiety provoking period in a person's life. There are academic pressures, family pressures, career pressures and the pressure to balance it all. Below are some tips to help you balance this.
- Choose your committee wisely.
In choosing a major professor, you want to select someone who has your best interest at heart and has an interest in your project. You want your major professor to be someone you trust to celebrate your accomplishments but also to help you work on your growth edges. In choosing the remaining members of your committee, make sure to consult with your major professor first! You do not want your research project to be the battleground for two faculty members to work out their "differences" with one another. It is fine for you to have committee members who have differing perspectives, that only enhances your research, but old departmental politics and personal grudges should not interfere with your matriculation. Your major professor will likely be able to give you a heads up with regards to this.
- Use your committee.
You selected them for a reason, right? Once you have chosen them wisely, do not be afraid to ask for feedback, guidance, and suggestions from them. Too many times students get caught up in thinking that they can only submit finished and "perfect" drafts to their committee members when it might be more helpful to talk with them and receive guidance from them as you go along. It does not hurt to ask; the worst they can say is "no" and then you are right where you started from anyway!
- Get support and guidance from senior graduate students in your department.
These students have tread the waters before you so they surely have the inside scoop on departmental matters. They can help you prepare for prelims, teach you how to operate that new high-tech microscope, and let you know some pitfalls to avoid as you complete your program.
- Keep the dissertation in perspective.
You've written a research paper before right? Think of your dissertation as simply another academic exercise. Sure none of the papers you've written before have been of this magnitude, but you have the basic skills, so just get it done! Many times students fall into the trap of thinking that the dissertation will epitomize their life's work. In reality, your dissertation may be a stepping stone for your life's work, but will it really be the best piece of work you will create? Unlikely. The best dissertation is a completed dissertation, so stop second-guessing yourself and start writing!
- Be assertive and seek out opportunities.
Your committee and fellow students will not know what you are interested in unless you tell them! It is perfectly acceptable for you to talk with committee members and fellow students often about your plans for the future and to inquire about how they can help you along this road. Who do they know? Can they introduce you to someone who would be helpful in your work? Can they include you on research that would be a great stepping stone for your career?
- Celebrate each accomplishment.
In graduate school you are so focused on the next task that it is easy to forget to celebrate the huge task you just completed. You will be spending several years in this program; do you really want to wait until graduation before you celebrate? First year done, celebrate. Prelims done, celebrate. First publication, celebrate. You get the picture.
- Don't put the rest of your life on hold.
Many times graduate students get into the habit of neglecting other areas of their lives because research seems paramount to anything else. Does this sound familiar. We're waiting to have a baby until I finish graduate school, I would love to be involved in that program, but I do not have time? Is there ever really a perfect time to do anything? There were things that were important to you before graduate school started, so continue to make those things important. Sure you may not be able to be as invested in some activities as you were before, but you need balance in your life. It is especially important to continue to nurture your relationships while in graduate school. You will need tons of support to successfully complete your program. Don't get so wrapped up in academics that you neglect your partner, friends, and family.
- Get physical.
Exercise is one of the best ways to manage stress, anxiety, and depression. Take advantage of the world class facility you have in the Ramsey Center. You can participate in just about any kind of physical activity you can think of at Ramsey. If that's not your cup of tea, take advantage of all the walking trails, biking trails, and beautiful outdoor scenery the Athens area provides. You do not have to make a huge commitment, but you would be surprised at the difference a daily 30 minute walk makes.
- Get involved.
Being a graduate student at The University of Georgia definitely has its advantages! In addition to all the cutting edge research that is being done on campus, you also have access to your pick of extracurricular activities. In particular, Graduate and Professional Scholars (GAPS) www.uga.edu/gaps/ and the Graduate Student Association (GSA) www.uga.edu/gsa/ which are two organizations designed to assist students with their tenure as graduate students at UGA. Additionally, there are opportunities to get involved in study abroad programs, intramural sports programs, political organizations, creative arts organizations and numerous others.
- Don't put unrealistic pressure on yourself.
Here's a reality check, you are not perfect! Neither is your cohort member or your professor. There is a lot that you do know, that's why you are in graduate school; but there is also a lot you don't know, which is another reason you're in graduate school. Do not hold yourself to standards that are unreasonable and unrealistic.
- Don't think that you are alone.
It is common for graduate students to feel inadequate, incompetent, and alienated. You are not alone in these feelings. There will likely not be another time in your life when you are under such extreme scrutiny and examination so it is normal that you feel judged and that you are always questioning yourself. However, without management these feelings can become problematic and lead to feelings of depression and anxiety which might result in a decline of your performance. Many graduate students also experience the imposter phenomenon. The imposter phenomenon is characterized by feeling like your successes are attributable to some outside influence such as luck. There is also the belief that you have tricked others into believing in your achievements and that at any moment you will be exposed as a fraud. If you believe that any of these feelings have become unmanageable or are affecting your productivity, it may be a good idea for you to come in and talk to a therapist at CAPS who can help you make sense of these feelings.
- Utilize your resources.
There are a variety of campus resources available to you whose sole purpose is to ensure your success as a student here at UGA. Use them! Some of these resources include: Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS), Academic Enhancement Services, Ramsey Center, Regents Center for Learning Disabilities, the Graduate School Office of Outreach & Diversity, Office of International Student Life, the Career Center,
and the Disability Resource Center.
|
