Don’t just survive, thrive! Barb’s tips for a successful graduate education experience (Pt II).
In the last post, we looked at the first five things you can do. Now, we will look at the last four:
- Don’t neglect long-term projects. Because your long-term projects don’t have immediate and pressing deadlines doesn’t mean they are any less important than the other work you are doing. Block out the most productive times during your day and use them to work on term papers. You will probably find that you need to have at least a few consecutive hours in order to focus. It is very difficult to work on papers “here and there.” They will require many, many hours and focused concentration.
- Time management. Set yourself up with a schedule and stick to it. Schedule everything, time with family, personal time, work time, study time, work out time, etc. Figure out when you are most productive and block out those hours to do papers or more intense work. Do NOT allow family, friends, the telephone, instant message or Facebook to interfere with your blocked-off time.
- You are entering a new world. Nobody really understands academia like other academics. People may think all you do all day is sit around with cups of coffee and philosophize about the world. In reality you will work harder than you ever have but you will love it! You may find your relationships with other people changing because of this; it may be difficult to share this part of yourself with them. Nobody except us really cares or wants to know how your literature review is going, how you are going to find subjects, how difficult the IRB process is, etc. You may find that your relationships change and grow, or some may wither and die. You may need to let some relationships go. It’s all part of the growing process of life.
- Enjoy! This is a wonderful and exciting time. Yes, it is stressful. But know that you can and will handle and manage the stress. Do not allow feeling overwhelmed to stop you from pursuing your passion!
Yours in the Joy of Knowledge,
Barb LoFrisco
Also check:
• https://mastersincounseling.org/counseling/how-to-find-a-job-after-graduation-cover-letters/
• https://mastersincounseling.org/counseling/what-a-mental-health-counselor-does-part-3-treatment/
• https://mastersincounseling.org/counseling/essential-tips-for-using-social-media-effectively-make-the-most-of-linkedin/
