This post on Inside Higher Ed is all about some of the best ways to survive your grad school experience from someone who's been there, author Jennifer Schloss. In my experience, grad school was nothing like I thought it would be - well, except for the fact that I did take and teach classes and I am doing research. There is a lot more pressure to succeed than there was from just trying to ace all your classes in undergrad, but nothing is straightforward or as simple as things were then. I will summarize Jennifer's seven-step survival guide:
1. Reframe your outlook so you don't feel inferior or like you don't belong
2. Ask more questions when you are confused
3. Learn to say no and not take on every commitment
4. Focus on today and don't dwell on failures from yesterday
5. Plan for the future but don't constantly think about it or be inflexible
6. Make time for play to reduce burnout and rejuvenate
7. Show gratitude for what you do appreciate about grad school
I think this is great advice. It is easy to forget some of these at times and feel overwhelmed, but take a step back and think about what you need to feel better. I bet most of the solutions are on this list.
http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2014/02/17/essay-seven-steps-surviving-grad-school
1. Reframe your outlook so you don't feel inferior or like you don't belong
2. Ask more questions when you are confused
3. Learn to say no and not take on every commitment
4. Focus on today and don't dwell on failures from yesterday
5. Plan for the future but don't constantly think about it or be inflexible
6. Make time for play to reduce burnout and rejuvenate
7. Show gratitude for what you do appreciate about grad school
I think this is great advice. It is easy to forget some of these at times and feel overwhelmed, but take a step back and think about what you need to feel better. I bet most of the solutions are on this list.
http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2014/02/17/essay-seven-steps-surviving-grad-school