10 Tips To Survive The 1st Year Of Grad School

So, you've made the decision to go to Grad School... Congratulations! The path to success is never an easy one. Scroll through the 10 tips to survive your first year of Grad School.

1. Read all the assigned readings (even if it's just a skim)

Via pinterest.com

In grad school, class sizes are much smaller. So, odds are, your professor will totally know if you have no idea what's going on from a lack of reading. Plus, they can definitely tell if you are making stuff up for discussion (a technique I used many times during my undergrad). Best to just skim so you at least have a vague idea to contribute to the discussion.

2. ...however, you're never going to get ahead

Via pinterest.com

Although you should try to get everything done.... it's probably not going to happen. In grad school, you're never ahead- only late or on time. The sooner you accept this inevitability, the sooner you can continue trying to keep up with the syllabus.

3. Try working on those end-of-semester projects early

Via studenthousingguide.co.uk

I know this goes against anything you've ever done in your undergrad but it does pay off to work on, or even just think about what you want to do for some of your final projects. By the end of the semester, you're usually so drained of creativity that the thought of starting another paper or project is unbearable. Do what you can when you can, instead of saving everything until the end.

4. Don't assume you know exactly what you're doing

Via weknowmemes.com

For most people, grad school is a tumultuous roller coaster ride of ups and downs. Sometimes you're having fun thinking you made the best decision ever, and sometimes you just want to throw up. For the first year at least, you probably won't have it all together and you may barely know anyone else who does have it all together. Don't kid yourself by pretending to know what you're doing all the time because there are plenty of other first year grad students around you who have no clue if they even made the right decision to go back to school. I still question whether I made the right decision to go back to school, so this feeling is completely normal (I hope...).

5. Try not to bottle your emotions- talk it out!

Via pinterest.com

As mentioned earlier, grad school is a big decision and there will be times where you find yourself questioning if you made the right decision to go back. You may even question if your dissertation, that you've been working on for months, is even something that interests you anymore. Grad school is hard, academically, financially, socially and emotionally; so make sure you have a close group of friends or fellow grad students to confide in and/or cry together with. We've all been there, friend...

6. Make time for fun

Via pinterest.com

Speaking of friends, make sure you get out for some fun every once in awhile. Unlike your undergrad years, it's pretty easy to get caught up in your graduate work and not leave the apartment/library/coffee house for days. I would sometimes find myself not talking to another person (except for my dog) for entire days that I didn't have class. In order to not go completely insane, make sure that you have some sort of social life.

7. Try to maintain some sort of normal schedule

Via students.laverne.edu

Like I said, it is really easy to get caught up in your work and you'll end up working until ungodly hours of the evening/morning. However, now in grad school, you're no spring chicken and these late nights aren't as forgiving as they used to be. Try to keep up with a routine and a normal sleep schedule.

8. It's okay to take out student loans

Via alexandrafloersch.areavoices.com

This is a tricky one... One that is very near and dear to me. We know grad students are indebted to their student loans for another 20-30 years after graduation. However, from my experience, it's so much easier to take out loans to pay for grad school rather than spending time and energy worrying about making your next rent payment. Take out the loans for a couple of extra bags of ramen and save your worrying for classes. Just be sure to still live by your means!

9. Grades really don't matter!

Via quickmeme.com

Yes, that's right, the grades (sometimes) don't matter! The best advice I got my first year in grad school was that it's really not about what kind of grades you get; it's all about what classes you take and who you take them with. Trying to get all A's is really irrelevant to your performance in grad school, so there's no use in killing yourself over it. Remember, even the person who graduates last in their class from med school, at the end of the day, is still a doctor.

10. Try not to compare yourself with others (even though it's hard)

Via imgflip.com

This one was also really hard for me since I decided to go back for my doctorate after working in the real world for five years. However, you need to do what you think is best for yourself and your career. Sure, all your friends on Facebook are posting pictures of weddings, houses, vacations and cars- but Facebook isn't real life. Even though all you have to show is your mediocre apartment down the street from a frat house (this is my real life by the way...), it really will be worth it in the end. You need to do what makes you happy, not what makes you money.

And remember...

Via pinterest.com

This too shall pass