Navigating Graduate School: Essential Tips for Success and Well-being (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: You are about to begin graduate school. Congratulations. You may be asking, is it going to be the same as undergraduate school? How do I prepare for this next step on my journey? My name is Devin Pritchett and I graduated from Richmont Graduate University in 2018. Beginning your graduate school program may seem overwhelming and I know you have so many questions. I'm here to help. One of the most helpful things you can do for yourself is to begin adjusting your expectations of what graduate school is going to be like. Here are a few things that need consideration as you begin graduate school. First, you need to consider time management. If you are not a planner, it's time to put those planning pants on. You will need to plan how the next four to five months are going to be spent. Set aside some time to review your syllabi and course schedules. Consider using the methods, paper or electronic, that work best for you and your time and your to-do lists. So now it's time to focus on lifestyle and relationships. Ladies and gentlemen, you will not be able to maintain the lifestyle and schedule you had prior to graduate school. Attending graduate school is like adding a full-time job to your schedule. It's time to have the talk. No, not that talk. The talk where you tell your family and friends that things are about to change. Your investment in some relationships will decrease, but only for a season. You may want to talk with the people in your life about how your role might look different during the season of graduate school. Now let's talk about self-care. Self-care is a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual part of your journey. Part of your time as a graduate student is setting time aside to take care of yourself. Self-care does not just happen and you have to be intentional about it. It might be beneficial to write down activities and relationships that are life-giving to you and commit to a time each week to do one of the activities. Graduate school is expensive, but there are ways to be savvy with your money. You can expect to purchase textbooks, a laptop, assessments and exit exams. There are ways to save money and there are funds that can help you on your journey should any emergencies occur during your program. Now let's talk about your professional identity. Alright perfectionists, yes that's you. If you are starting graduate school, you probably have some perfectionism in you. You are embarking on a journey full of change and growth. You will not be the same person on graduation day that you are right now and you will become aware of your weaknesses and shortcomings like you never have before. You will learn about what gives you life and what drains you of energy. You will gain confidence in your professional identity throughout your program and gaining confidence requires acceptance of areas that require growth. Get ready to learn and show yourself and others grace. Practice spending time on the most important things. Okay, I know that was a lot. Take a deep breath. You can do this. There are students, faculty and staff who are ready to support you as you embark on this journey.