Blog 2 - Back to School
Today marks the first day of my second year in grad school! As everyone is starting to get back into the swing of things, I figured it would be nice to go over tips and tricks I’ve found to going back after break! It can feel overwhelming jumping back into the academic world when you’ve had the past few weeks to relax, but I find that there are ways to make everything just fall back into place easier!
Get a new calendar!!
It can be virtual or paper, but you need to be able to organize exams, homework, quizzes, and everything else in order to stay on top of everything! Plus, a fresh calendar always feels nice 😊
2. Get a small notebook/journal!
I love carrying a journal with me everywhere! I can jot down any ideas that come up, I write a to-do list there every morning, I make notes about people I need to email, grocery lists, literally anything and everything goes in there. It is super handy to have something on hand when you randomly think of something, but you’re stuck in class or just can’t get to it right away.
3. Set realistic goals!
Everyone says that this semester is going to be their best semester. Every time. I fall victim to this way too often. I set goals for myself that, although achievable, are unrealistic for myself. For example, if I have a paper due in two weeks, I set the goal to have it done early so I can have plenty of time for edits. In reality, I’m not going to start that paper until like 2 days before its due. When I set goals like that and don’t achieve them, it leaves me feeling bad about myself, and then I spiral until I’m a mess. Setting goals is important, but making sure that they are realistic to what you can achieve is most important.
4. Have a set study/writing day.
College classes are always moving extremely fast. You never feel like you can catch a break most times, and if you fall even a little behind, it feels impossible to catch up. I find it really helpful to set aside specific times for just going over notes. I like to set separate times for each class, but that isn’t realistic for everyone! Just putting aside like 2-3 hours at the end of the week to review material and work on a couple of problems can be a game changer. It helps to organize your thoughts from what you learned throughout the week, and it keeps you on top of everything! If you’re having to write for research, then setting aside a writing time/day is extremely important! When I’m writing, I know that I will be most productive when I have hours of uninterrupted time to just get through it. Once I get into the flow of things, it’s hard for me to stop. So, I set aside about 4 hours one day of the week to just focus on writing.
5. Don’t let imposter syndrome win!
This is easier said than done! In case you aren’t sure what this is, imposter syndrome is believing that you aren’t good at the things you do/enjoy or feel as if you aren’t deserving of your achievements. It is very real and very common amongst students in STEM. It’s different for everyone, but in my experience, it comes and goes in waves. When I notice that I feel it coming on, I make myself go for a walk and remind myself that I am smart, and I can’t compare my journey to those around me! I plan to write an article discussing the types of imposter syndrome and ways to pull yourself out of it soon!
